Never Say Never
by Lucky Th13rteen
Summary: They could never be together like they wanted. Not in public where everyone would see. But maybe, somewhere else they could love without precautions. Maybe, somewhere, there was a time when 'never' did not exist when discussing their tumultuous love.
1. Part I

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, or ideas relating to or pertaining to the world of Harry Potter and JK Rowling. I graciously thank JK for her life-changing works and our ability as faithful readers to use her creations as our own for pure fanfic pleasure. Because honestly, if I did own the rights to Draco and Ginny, obviously they would end up together forever and always. **

**_A/N: _**_This is a mini series that I decided on in order to explore the paths less traveled with D/G. Each chapter is representative of a verse from the song "Never Say Never," by The Fray, though this is in no way a songfic or anything of the being said, not every chapter will fall into the HP universe as most of them will enter AUs in order to develop the short plot line needed for the individualized chapters. Each chapter is different and the events **do not **coincide with the previous or following chapter. However, it will be assumed that the emotions and feelings will be carried over through the chapters. (You'll understand what I mean when Part II is added.) That being said, read, enjoy, and REVIEW! _

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><p><strong>Part One <strong>

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It was his Seventh Year. These were supposed to be the happiest times of his life. But instead Draco Malfoy was reduced to hiding in the bathrooms during his Head Boy rounds to avoid running into other students or worse - the Carrows. His thin, pale hands were trembling and his greasy blonde hair hung limply around his shoulders from days spent worrying as he glided between classes, barricaded in his private room when his presence was not commanded elsewhere. Snape was doing a fine job of Headmaster but descent and rebellion echoed in the low rumble of hurried whispers in the corridors and during meals in the Great Hall. Most of the other students did not want to be here at this point, the Final Battle so close to happening, but Hogwarts remained the safest place for the children. While many days still passed where teenagers were sent back to their common rooms bruised and injured, many days lapsed where random persons were discovered missing only to return to classes several days later. These were the second Dumbledore's Army and they were scared but prepared to fight for the chance to return the school to its former glory.

The one bright spot in this hell hole of a school year had blossomed from his opportune run-in with Ginny Weasley one night during rounds. Draco had been feeling slightly agitated that night in late October but had performed his Head Boy duties with gusto and had rapidly walked his route of the castle, watching for errant students and suspicious behavior. He was passing through the deserted hallways of the third floor when his leather clad steps were paused by the faint echoing of sobs. Draco had gripped his wand tighter, hesitantly turning around to widely stare at the empty hallway behind him. The sadness sounded again and he cautiously walked to the nearest stone archway and leaned his head into the dark corridor, the almost noiseless sniffles of someone crying alerting him to the source of the sounds.

"Who's there?" He authoritatively called, his words wavering in the barest indication of his fear.

"Bullocks," a raspy voice whispered but Draco saw no one as his grey eyes narrowed and peered down the shadowed hallway.

"Who's there, I said!"

There was a rustling of the fabric of the air next to the small, dark corner where the corridor shrank and he was as unsurprised as she was mad when Draco saw flaming curls and freckled skin materialize. Ginny was clutching her left hand to her chest and her chin was lifted proudly but Draco noticed nothing besides her presence out of her dormitory after hours, smirking smally at her irritated, tear streaked face.

"Weasley," he drawled. "So nice to see you out and about when you're not supposed to be."

"Shove it, Malfoy," Ginny growled but he ignored the warning tone as he languidly paced to stand in front of her.

"Tsk, tsk Ginevra. You should know better than to anger your elders. I'm sure your dozen brothers taught you that growing up," Draco taunted, his words lacking the biting edge that in previous years had accompanied his insults and belittlings.

"And I'm sure your father beat the same principle into you," she spat, chocolate eyes narrowed in contempt at the blonde wizard.

His jaw clenching and a blank stare overcoming his sharp features, Draco blinked and dispelled the taunting remarks he had quickly planned to respond with, his emotions turning off at the mention of Lucius and his evil parenting ways. Ginny pressed her balled up fist further against her chest, fingers curling at the soft movement as Draco noticed the slight action and glanced down.

"What happened to your hand?" He blurted out.

Auburn eyebrows furrowing, Ginny looked at the injured appendage and shrugged. "Detention."

His lips fell open and Draco merely stared at her nonchalant response.

"Here. Let me fix it," he mumbled, reaching for her wrist with one hand while the other pointed his wand loosely at the broken area. Glancing around to make sure this wasn't a trick and somehow Draco Malfoy was actually being nice to her, Ginny slowly moved her left arm towards his outstretched palm. His long fingers were warm wrapping around her bare wrist and she winced when he exerted a slight pressure to the fractured bones.

Draco was concentrated on the injury, his grey eyes peeled to her freckled skin, and failed to notice Ginny cautiously staring at him, pain forgotten as she watched him deftly work his magic. The tip of his pink tongue swiped across the seam of his lips before he quietly whispered healing spells and Ginny felt a hot warmth spread across her chest and her breathing increase as Draco leaned closer, his musky scent of old parchments and worn leather surrounding her effectively. The hairline fractures were mending quickly as his wand flourished and the breaks were almost finished rapidly healing when a loud shuffle of footsteps echoed in the main hallway.

"I 'eard somethin' up 'ere, Alecto! I swear it!"

"Brother, if ya are just makin' this up and we gotta walk all tha way back to tha other end of tha castle - I sure 'ope there's students up 'ere."

"We'll get 'em good, sister."

Without preamble Draco rushed forward, pressing the toned planes of his lean body against Ginny's slightly shorter frame as he pushed them into the shadows of the stone corner. She had not been paying full attention and had only just realized someone was walking closer to their position when he had crushed his sinfully muscled chest to her curvy stature, knocking the scant air from her lungs as Ginny felt the rough edges of the wall through the thin fabrics of her uniform.

"What the -"

"Shh!" Draco hastily whispered, a luminescent finger jerking across his lips as his silver eyes widened and rolled to his right, indicating that they were not alone. Ginny felt the blonde angle his broad shoulders so that she was completely concealed and her thick eyelashes rested against her brow bone as she peered anxiously up at the close proximity of his arresting silver gaze. Draco's lips moved silently as the blood pounded in her ears, removing all outside noise as Ginny's heart beat increased at the approaching confrontation with the Carrows, her second that evening, and from the captivating warmth of the boy surrounding her.

"Stay here," Draco suddenly whispered, his hips jerking backwards as he randomly turned around and walked to the end of the short, dark hallway. Just as two long shadows crept closer down the main walkway, he strode through the archway and paused, his blonde head rotating as he acted surprised to see the encroaching teachers.

"Draco?" Amycus called hesitantly. "What are ya doing up 'ere?"

"Just finishing up my rounds as Head Boy, sir. I thought I smelled smoke up here but I guess it was just wishful thinking," he fluidly explained, garnering a not so amused look from Alecto as she glared at the boy then at her brother.

"I _told_ ya there wasn't anyone up 'ere!" She bellowed, spiteful anger lashing out as she grew further agitated with the silly situation. "Come, brother. We 'ave a long walk back to our quarters."

Amycus recoiled slightly when Alecto reached forward, jerking as if she were going to hit him, but slumped when she grabbed the lapel of his robe and pulled him after her rapidly moving steps.

"Good night, professors!" Draco yelled smartly, his lips curling into a smirk as the Carrows rounded a corner and disappeared from sight. His jaw twitched and he remembered Ginny invisibly hidden down the empty hallway behind, his feet turning as he easily walked back through the narrow archway.

"Why did you do that?" She asked when he stopped in front of the place where he knew she would still be. "Why didn't you turn me over to them?"

Draco sighed heavily, his grey eyes falling as his ashen eyelashes fluttered against his pale cheekbones.

"No one deserves what they did to you. This," he said, motioning to the wrist she had cradled against her chest once more. "Does it still hurt?" He asked gently, his thin fingers reaching up but hesitating before she placed her arm out for him to examine.

"Just a little," she replied, voice husky as their steps inadvertently brought them closer. Draco finished healing her injuries, feeling her heated stare on his face as he worked and he fought to keep his hands steady and his cheeks from blushing under her scrutiny. He released her wrist but Ginny's warm fingers grasped his forearm and stilled his motions, the scant inches separating their bodies heating up as she tossed her flaming curls over her shoulder and tilted her porcelain face up towards him. Before he had realized what was happening, Ginny vaulted her chest forward and pressed her plump lips to his mouth, surprise knocking the air from his lungs as she passionately kissed him and he soon returned the emotion as a boiling heat dropped below his belt. Their hands were frantically pulling at the other clothing, eager to feel some sort of physical connection with someone while all else seemed so bleak.

It didn't matter that their Houses were rivals or that they had spent the past five years taunting and demeaning each other - right now Draco and Ginny only knew the actions of their bodies and they let their primal instincts take over as their eyes remained firmly shut. Clothing in the way, they took turns unfastening and pushing aside the offending articles before Draco forcefully pushed his hard cock into Ginny's dripping pussy, uniting them for the first time. The sex was frenzied but precise, Ginny's shoulders grinding into the stone wall as Draco held her hips aloft and her long legs wrapped around his waist. Grunting and moaning simultaneously, the pair of teenagers exhaled heavily and the aftershocks of their orgasms ran their course as they too soon disconnected, rearranging their uniforms without meeting the others gaze.

Rubbing her wrist to give her hands something to do, Ginny tentatively cleared her throat after shrugging her shoulder to keep her school bag in place. His hands paused halfway down his chest, working to smooth out the invisible wrinkles of his jumper as Draco glanced up nervously.

"Thank you," Ginny politely said. "For saving me from the wrath of the Carrows," she added when his grey eyes widened a fraction and an arrogant smirk pulled up one corner of his lips.

"It was nothing, Weasley," Draco responded, blank mask in place as Ginny cocked her red head to the side, tightening her lips before nodding once and turning to leave. He watched her go, silently proud of the slight limp to her strut as Ginny hurried away, rounding the corner of the archway and disappearing from sight within a few steps.

Something changed that night.

Draco felt the slightest bit less alone, a bit of the burden relived from his shoulders as his frustrations and nerves seemed to have evaporated with his orgasm. From that moment on, he studied Ginny Weasley, watching her from a distance without noticing her discretely observing him. When he found her walking down a nearly empty corridor or wandering around the castle alone, he took the opportunities to seize her and lock them in a nearby deserted classroom, mauling her lips as soon as it was safe. Ginny, meanwhile, took satisfaction in her sudden ability to charm the Malfoy heir, his will bent around her coy smile and curvy body. She always knew when he would be following her, waiting patiently for the moment when he could surprise and drag her away, and Ginny smartly planned for those instances by luring him through the castle when the need arose, quickly growing to enjoy the thrill that came with their sneaking around and the spontaneity that added anticipation to each new day.

By the time Christmas holidays came around, their hidden union was growing stronger and both were unforcibly allowed to stay at Hogwarts for the several weeks break. A majority of those days found Draco and Ginny holed up in his Head Boy suite, naked except for the ever present smiles gracing their faces. What few students had stuck behind instead of going home did not notice their absences, all teenagers hidden away in their dorms to ignore the searching eyes of the Carrows and the harsh cold of the winter weather.

"What are we doing?" Ginny asked lazily one evening when the holidays were coming to a close, her fiery head resting on Draco's chest as they lay entwined under his sheets. "What are we really doing here, Draco?"

He had sighed heavily, shutting his silver eyes to keep at bay the question he knew would one day come.

"Honestly? I don't know."

"They won't ever let us be together," she had whispered against the rising and falling of his pale torso, an errant finger tracing invisible patterns into his skin. "They'll never let us be happy."

"Never say never, love," Draco had responded into the flaming mass of curls atop her head, tilting his head to kiss her hairline placatingly. "Let's not talk about this now," he said after moments of their matching breaths filling the silent room. "When this is all done and over, we'll have our chance. You'll see."

Ginny had nodded hurriedly, her chocolate eyes squeezing shut to block out the thoughts that the random hook up she had started with Draco Malfoy, somehow evolved into a full blown, secret affair, would someday come to an end. She had grown to rely on the handsome, blonde wizard for mental and emotional support and just the knowledge that in two days time they would be forced to return to their patterns of hate and disgust, it tore her up inside. But she also realized that publicly displaying their relationship right now, in the middle of the greatest war wizarding Britain had yet to see, could have extreme consequences for both of them. Death Eaters would be searching for each of them, ordered to kill the double traitorous Purebloods.

So when the days passed and the school was once again full of chattering students and grumpy teachers, Draco and Ginny acted as if there was not a burgeoning love fueled flame inside them and avoided the other like the Plague until they were sure it was safe. Their nights became longer as more days elapsed between their last meetings and their couplings became more intense as their bodies craved the intimacy and warmth of another person. When Ginny would stumble into his rooms late at night, bruised and beaten from detention or from D.A. practices, Draco healed her wounds and held her close as he rocked her to sleep. On the many nights, growing more frequent as the semester progressed, when Lucius owled him or he received orders or news, Ginny waited patiently for his anxious anger to abate, talking him through his feelings and strategies as the situations became more dire and they were faced with tougher decisions.

Somehow the teachers mustered enthusiasm for a Spring Social, encouraging the students towards positivity while darkness swirled at their gates. Although they were not allowed to leave the school to acquire attire or accessories for the event, it was arranged for special orders to be placed with various shops in Hogsmeade to obtain such items for the students. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits for the upcoming ball and Draco turned optimistic that he and Ginny would take their relationship public. He was rudely surprised when a week before the dance he caught word at breakfast from Pansy that the Weaslette would be going with Seamus Finnagin and that the two seemed to have already consummated their pairing. Painfully he looked across the Great Hall to the Gryffindor table and once his grey eyes spotted them he wished he hasn't searched in the first place. Seamus had an arm wrapped around Ginny's shoulders and she was turned flirtatiously towards his close body as their heads bent and they talked rapidly.

Sensing someone's stare on her, Ginny glanced up, eyes going wide when she noticed it was Draco giving her the evil eye as Seamus prattled on as if she were still paying attention. Narrowing his gaze heatedly, Draco shook his blonde head reproachfully and sneered, disgusted at her blatant attempt to show him that he meant so little to her. When he jumped up, pushing back the wooden bench as he stood, Ginny faltered next to Seamus and tried to dislodge herself from his grasp as she hurried to chase Draco out of the Hall. His steps were quick and he was almost running down the empty hallway towards his quarters, fully intent on changing his password and reconfiguring the entrance to his rooms, when he heard Ginny's following patter of footsteps.

"Draco! Wait!" She called. "I can explain!"

He had halted, angrily turning around to pace towards her until Ginny had to abruptly stop to keep from colliding with his firm chest.

"Explain what, trollop?" He seethed, silver eyes darkened to a hard steel as he glared at her strong stance, holding her ground as he leaned forward and nearly spit in her face from his closeness. "How you're giving yourself to another wizard as if I don't matter? I thought we had something, Ginny. But I guess you were too stupid to realize just how important that was."

Shaking with repressed irritation and growing fear at the rising potential for their relationship to soon be coming to that all encompassing end, Ginny jutted her chin forward and bravely met his gaze.

"I did it for us," she pleaded, willing him to understand as the words rushed out. "Pavarti saw us the other day and she asked me if she had been delusional in thinking she saw us flirting and holding hands. We don't need rumors flying around about us when that gossip could get us killed. I said yes to Seamus so no one would be any wiser about you and I."

Cocking one golden eyebrow, disinterested in her begging story, Draco clenched his jaw as he ground out, "Then why did that buffoon have his hands all over you like you were some piece of meat?"

Throwing her hands up, Ginny rolled her brown eyes. "I can't just say yes and then ignore him until the dance. Seamus and I are friends, he can be a bit handsy but you barely have any room to talk with the way Parkinson always has her sausage fingers all over you."

Glaring pointedly, after all he was never one to admit when his mistakes were pointed out, Draco huffed, crossing his toned arms as Ginny stared at him defiantly.

"Fine. Have it your way. Go to the dance with Finnagin. See if I care."

Glancing up and down once, sizing her up as if he were picking out the dress robes to wear to a function, Draco hmph'ed loudly and turned to walk away, self disappointment evident as he strode further from Ginny, his heart breaking with each step he took that she did not come chasing after him.

"Fine!" Ginny spitefully and tearfully yelled when he was just about to turn the final corner to get to his Head Boy suite. "I don't love you anyways! Prick!"

His chest collapsed and the breath was pulled from his lungs as Draco slumped against the rough wall next to the portrait entrance, his will finally snapping as Ginny's words echoed in the short hallway and in his head. It was love that had tightened his shoulders and stilled his tongue whenever Ginny was near; it was love that had caused him to rip out his heart and give it to the beautiful redheaded witch in the form of personal memories and many hours spent naked, thrusting towards a release that calmed both their bodies and souls. He knew that her claiming she didn't love him only reenforced the message that she did love him, her resentful, momentary loathing forcing her to dispel her true emotions. It tore at him nonetheless when he stilled, listening for the hesitant clacking of her shoes as she ran to him to continue the argument that never came.

Ginny had escaped to the Astronomy Tower, not caring if she was caught out of class, and wept openly, falling against the stone railing as she laid her fiery head on a low ledge and allowed the strong winds to swipe at her wet face. There were so many other, more life changing events happening outside the castle walls right now that the breaking of her relationship with Draco Malfoy, her noted enemy and terrorizer, should not have mattered so much. But Ginny felt as if her chest was going to suffocate from the constricting tightness that ached with each struggling breath she took, a black hole that was sucking the all energy from her being. How had she let it get so far that she was so infatuated with the blonde ferret? This certainly had not been a planned occurrence and now that it had happened, she couldn't say she regretted the various decisions that had led to this catastrophic, monumentally altering relationship.

At the same time, both their hearts aching, they realized and understood that they could never be together as long as the traditional prejudices were in place, despite their equal Purebloodedness their families held too much animosity. Draco wanted to forget the emotions that the flame haired witch had evoked within him, he wanted to blank out those memories that now brought a smile to his lips and a pain to his heart. They were better off separated and alone without the other; It was only logical during these trying times. _Maybe it's better that something else catapulted our break up instead of drawing it out and trying to make it work while we feared for our lives,_ Draco stupidly thought as he pulled his weak muscles up from the stone floor and eventually crawled through the portrait hole to stumble into his private rooms_. Maybe we'll lose all these memories after the fighting and no one will be the wiser that a great and prideful Malfoy lost his head and heart to a Weasley._

Days later when the mandatory event was only hours away, Draco wearily dressed and polished off a small glass decanter of whiskey as he calculated how long he would have to stay in the Great Hall before he could slip away and exit the festivities. As Head Boy he was required to go but that did not mean he would have to enjoy it or stay for the entire event. It was going to be painfully awkward as it was because of the distance he had put between himself and his housemates this year, never mind the fact that Ginny would be there, hanging all over Seamus all night. She would look beautiful as usual and he would have no right to pull her away from the roaming hands of other wizards like he knew his jealousy would want him to. _School spirit - hoo rah,_ he thought sarcastically as he glanced both ways up and down the hallway, making sure the coast was clear before he lazily stepped through his portrait to make his way through the dreary corridors to the Great Hall.

As per the norm, the Hall was festively decorated with bright and promising colors, the stone floor transformed into a plush grass with errant flowers dotting the green surface. Actual weeping willows were rooted along the sides next to the stone pillars and Draco could already see pairs of students hidden away until the waving branches, seeking privacy in the very public Hall. He had casually strolled to the affair, knowing he would be one of the last students to enter in order for his grey eyes to not miss a single face as he slowly patrolled the room. A live band was already playing loudly and the students who were not shyly bolted to the tables and chairs as they watched the merriment were happily dancing and swaying on a makeshift dance floor. Tugging nervously on the lapels of his dress robe, Draco knew it was only a matter of time before he found Ginny's flaming head and sure enough, his silver orbs landed on the shining top of her curly mass, his lean body turning to stare at the beautiful witch.

Ginny was wearing a simple, satin dress of the palest cream that hugged her curves but fanned out at the knees to create a short train behind her. Draco gulped, eyes narrowing as an errant male hand swept around her small waist to bring her closer and then spin her out in an effortless twirl. He could hear her peels of laughter from across the room and his hands clenched tightly, berating himself for not being the one to evoke such happy emotions from her. That dragon of jealousy roared to life inside the cage of his ribs and before Draco could process what he was doing, his feet were swiftly moving through the gaggles of students to pause on the very edge of the dance floor.

She was grinning easily, spinning away from Seamus as he goofily wiggled his hips at her retreating figure, when the slight twist of her fiery head and a quick blink of her chocolate eyes revealed a bright blonde head just meters away. Instantly the smile was replaced with a cautious frown and Ginny kept moving, acting as if she had not seen Draco standing there so blatantly watching her. When she returned to Seamus' dancing arms, she attempted to inconspicuously rotate them around the dance floor in an effort to delay what would now be the inevitable rerun in with Draco.

"My, my. Weaslette. I almost didn't recognize you, all dressed up in a_ brand new _gown," he lazily drawled as he approached, causing the blonde hairs on her arms to stand up when she felt his heated presence just behind her and glanced to her date to confirm the conjecture by the sudden glare twisting his features.

"Bugger off, Malfoy," Seamus snapped, one arm tightening around Ginny's hips as he kept her from rotating to see Draco's face.

"Oh come on, Finnagin. Share a little. I just wanted to ask for a dance with the prettiest witch in the room."

Ginny hoped the rapid stiffening of her tense muscles was not noticed by Seamus as his face reddened and he looked ready to throw a punch at the blonde's handsome facial features. She was surprised that Draco would so openly give her a compliment but the slight slur to his words alerted her to the fact that he quite possibly was going off of liquid courage.

"How bout it, Weaslette?" Draco inquired again.

Glancing about, Ginny realized that a small circle had formed around the unlikely trio and she felt a creeping flush run up her neck as she looked to Draco, hoping to wipe the shit eating grin off his face as Seamus struggled to swing an arm at the arrogant blonde.

"Fine," she loudly ground out, leaning in to hurriedly whisper to Seamus. "One dance and he'll leave us alone."

The Scotsman begrudingly nodded, his short stature blocked by Ginny's greater height as she sighed irritably, letting go of Seamus as she slowly turned to face Draco. The moment his strong hands reached out for her the music slowed and a gentle melody filled the Great Hall as the other dancing couples automatically moved closer together.

"Why are you doing this?" Ginny harshly whispered when Draco forcibly pulled her waist against his hips, a false smile plastered to her lips as she avoided his grey gaze and stared at the mingling students who were openly staring at them.

"I just wanted a dance," Draco replied innocently, his grip tightening as he fluidly moved them across the floor. "Isn't this dance about inter-House cooperation?" He asked pleasantly and Ginny huffed, purposefully misstepping as her foot came down hard on his leather shoe.

"You know what I meant," Ginny rushed and she grasped his shoulder as Draco dramatically dipped her shoulders backwards and her flaming curls brushed the stone floor.

"Of course I do," Draco replied when he pulled Ginny flush against his chest, his silver gaze serious as he kept her stare and rapidly kept them dancing. "I know you may not believe this but - I love you. I don't want to lose you, Ginny."

Her feet would have faltered if Draco had not been prepared for such a reaction and not held her up. Instead Ginny looked severely awkward as she slumped in his arms, squeezing her mascaraed eyes shut as the blaring of the trumpets and saxophones was muted by the rushing of blood through her ears.

"Draco - we can't. We just - I, I - " Ginny mumbled and he pressed a large hand into her back to adjust her poor posture as she timidly stole a glance at his softened features. Normally stoic and cold in front of other people, she was barely surprised to see his emotions playing across his face to accompany his genuine words.

"Of course we can, Gin!" He roughly whispered, excitement tugging up the corners of his mercury eyes as he kept his lips in a straight line despite the bubbling joy. She hadn't said she didn't love him, that was a start. "Maybe not right now - But once the war is over, I want **you** for the rest of my life."

"Draco," Ginny calmly said, her even tone drawing his gaze and disappearing his smile grin. "I can't wait. Being with you has made me realize that I do want a committed relationship. But I need it now. I don't want to have to hide something that keeps me awake at night because I can't stop smiling. I want to be able to walk down the hallways, hand in hand, and not have to worry about who's going to start a fight over it or who could possibly be hurt."

His face fell blank, his grip around her waist and holding her hand slackened and Draco pulled his hips back just far enough that they were still able to dance comfortably. Ginny felt a weight fall through her upright sternum, his grey eyes trained just over the top of her head as they circled slowly around the dance floor, and although most of the students had gone back to their own socializings, few remained staring at the contrasting pair eagerly waiting for the storm to blow through their peaceful, and close, co-existence.

Her lips trembled, opening to stutter a string of phrases together to add to the baldly honest words she had already uttered that had shattered Draco's short-lived happiness, her own heart shaking as she understood how he could have implied those words. "I **do **love you. I really do. But, but - you want to hide us. You want to have me all for yourself and let no one know that we're in love!" His heated gaze bore into her mocha eyes but Ginny continued on, voice shaking as she rambled on without thinking. "The Final Battle will be happening soon. And Harry will be back and - and I don't know what he's expecting but -"

"So you just wanted to end things quietly with me before the Chosen One returned so you could run back into his arms, guilt free?" Draco incredulously asked, knowing he was at least partially right by the shameful look on Ginny's face.

"No!" She protested, palms sweating as Draco pressed both large hands to the small of her back as they swayed in place. "I'm going to tell him that I've moved on! That I don't care for him like that anymore!"

"Bullocks!" Draco cried, stopping completely as one hand raised to gesture nonsensically. The low rumble of chatter seemed to have stopped and glancing up, he realized the majority of witches and wizards congregated were openly staring at them now. He whipped his blonde head back and fiercely glared at Ginny as he whispered gruffly, "You tell Potter that he's having my sloppy seconds. I'm sure that will really win him over for you, sweetheart."

Tears flooded her chocolate eyes but Ginny rapidly stared between his silver orbs, holding the salty liquid back as if she were waiting for him to miraculously apologize. When a sneer pulled up the upper corner of his bow lips and his grey eyes blinked, staring down his nose at her with barely concealed revulsion, Ginny felt the large sob bubble through her chest and erupt randomly as her shoulders quivered and she swept a hand across her inflamed cheeks. She heaved dramatically, hastily bending backwards to reach for the extra fabric of the gown's small train before she sprinted forward, pushing Draco aside as she tore from the Great Hall. A collective gasp sucked the noise from the room and he peered around, glaring at every single person who had their eyes trained to the outburst.

He thought about going after her, rushing to explain to Ginny that he hadn't meant what he said, it was his vengeful temper lashing out at her when she admitted the end of their relationship. Draco wanted to tell her that he truly loved her, that every damn day his heart ached for her ornery personality and flaming head, and that he would never let anything harm her. But what he should have been worried about was his own wrath scarring the red headed witch, his own flaws tearing apart the most honest companionship he had ever had. The exact outcome that he should have predicted would happen and painfully, had come true. Now all he had left was to stare pitifully through the crowds of staring students at the tall archway through which Ginny had disappeared.

All he could do now was wait for her to cool down enough that he could convince her that his words had been all hot air. Wait and hope that Ginny was forgiving enough to allow him back into her life and her heart.

They were not given a chance to reunite. A fortnight later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were smuggled into the castle and the scent of rebellion caught fire. Draco grew increasingly anxious as the final hours ran long and he nervously awaited the first wave of attacks from Death Eaters and Voldemort. His parents would be in that evil crew, he knew. They would all be looking for him, trying to take him back to their side for protection. But Draco swore that as long as she was here, he would stay to protect Ginny.

Everything became chaos once all the Houses were called down to the Great Hall and the professors ordered the students to safety. The Slytherins were escorted back to the dungeons where they could be watched over and essentially held prisoners until the Battle was over. Never one to fall in line, Draco had easily slid past the teachers with Crabbe and Goyle on his heels as the first sounds of explosions and fighting rang out. He chased a running stream of flaming hair, hoping it was Ginny and realizing too late it was the Golden Trio as his buffoon companions skidded to a halt behind him. Following them into the Room of Requirement proved to almost be a deadly decision as he and Goyle barely made it back out with the scant help of the Trio, Crabbe sadly lost to the all encompassing flames that burned through the magical room.

The hours ran together, darkness falling as the only indication of time was known from Voldemort's amplified voice ringing through the castle walls. Draco had just spotted Ginny tending to the wounded and avoiding her weeping family when a rushing whisper ran through the Great Hall and suddenly everyone who was able to move was running to the main entrance. He lost sight of her as she blazed through the crowds, red hair a bright beacon, not bothering to hurry outside to a probable death if Voldemort was indeed approaching with his troops. The next thing he knew, the motley crew of injured and severely wounded persons assembled staggeringly throughout the first floor of the castle erupted in cheers. _The Boy Who Must Have Killed Him,_ he thought ironically, relieved for the side of good winning but anxious as to how he would now be received.

Lucius and Narcissa had wasted little time in finding their son, hurrying to his side and jostling his barely bruised body as they happily examined their living child, exuberent to have been accepted into the fold of the light, even if just barely. His parents were quietly nitpicking at him, Narcissa brushing at his long blonde locks and Lucius rambling on about what could have happened to them as the trio sat closely together on a wooden bench and humbly ate the thrown together meal being served by the House elves, but Draco was blankly staring out across the Great Hall. He was watching for Ginny, waiting for a scant moment when she was not being bombarded by a stray brother or her weeping mother so that he could swoop in to apologize and publicly declare his love.

The entrance of Harry Potter brought an uproaring round of applause and cheering, all eyes diverted to the crumbled archway as the Golden Boy bashfully walked through the joyous people, smirking stupidly at the attention he finally felt he deserved. His glasses were cracked and blood was smeared across his arrogant, scarred face but Harry looked completely at ease as he sauntered past the reaching and grabbing hands to proudly stand in front of the Weasley clan. All eyes were on them as Harry hugged each family member until lastly Ginny was standing, grinning happily as she wrapped her arms around Harry warmly. Intended only as a friendly embrace, Ginny was startled when Harry leaned backwards and met her gaze boldly before rushing forward to press his lips to her mouth in a very unromantic and very slobbery kiss. Apparently the Boy Who Lived was still under the impression that she still had a school girl crush on him.

Pushing his shoulders back as gently as she could, Ginny saw a flash of snowy blonde just past Harry's head and knew Draco, like everyone else in the Great Hall, had seen the impromptu smooch. From his rapid steps and bent head, she knew he still carried a burning torch for her, regardless of the passionate, scornful words he had last spewed to her. She tried to release Harry's grasp around her waist, attempting to peel his fingers away from her hips as she emotionally and physically struggled with the choice to go after him. The decision was made for her when she blinked quickly and saw the matching heads of Lucius and Narcissa as they followed after their son, presumably leaving the castle to Apparate home after the monstrous past couple of days.

"Gin!" Harry called, so close yet so far away as she tilted her flaming head backwards and refocused her gaze on the dark haired wizard with his arms still tightly encasing her torso. "Gin?" He said again, a content smile pulling up the edges of his lips when she raised her auburn eyebrows and set her attention on him. "I never thought we'd get here. I never thought we'd actually see this day," he admitted honestly and the words triggered a sadness in Ginny that she wholly knew she would have to carry for the rest of her life.

_They'll never give us the chance if we never believe in us ourselves. _Draco's words from several weeks ago rang clearly in her thoughts and Ginny nodded shortly as Harry pulled her against his chest once more, a lone tear falling for the consuming love she had let walk away, a small sign that was easily mistaken by others as an admission of what they thought was finally making her happy there in her arms.

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**A/N:**

**Part One is finished! Yay!**

**Leave me a review and tell me what you think. Obviously, listen to the song by The Fray if you have never heard it. Also, look me up on Facebook for more information and updates on my writing. Just search for 'Samanatha LuckyThirteen Jane.' **

**The events of Part Two will not necessarily coincide with the happenings of this chapter but their feelings and emotions will carry over, as if the upcoming chapters in AUs are portions of dreams or fantastical memories. **

**So REVIEW, let me know what you think and hopefully Part Two will live up to all your expectations. **


	2. Part II

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, or ideas relating to or pertaining to the world of Harry Potter and JK Rowling. I graciously thank JK for her life-changing works and our ability as faithful readers to use her creations as our own for pure fanfic pleasure. Because honestly, if I did own the rights to Draco and Ginny, obviously they would end up together forever and always. **

**.**

**As previously stated, the contents of each chapter are not based off of what happened in the previous Part. The entire story will wrap up as if all the events happened in the same set of mind for Draco and Ginny, as in they will have knowledge in the upcoming chapters of what has happened in the preceding Parts but those events will not necessarily influence everything else that happens. Ya feel me? **

**This Part encompasses several events from _Half-Blood Prince _that I take no credit for. However, I am altering the small details of said events in order to create the picture I want to portray. **

* * *

><p>Draco Malfoy had been so scared for the past two hours that his thin, pale hands had not stopped shaking. Tonight was the night that he was intended to let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts and to complete his task of killing Dumbledore. His heart was hammering in his chest and a cold sweat had racked his body, only for a shaking chill to follow as he rapidly paced the old, wooden floor boards in the Room of Requirement. He had sat and stared at the Vanishing Cabinet for an endless amount of time, his grey eyes darting over the detailed features as his fingers wrung together between his bouncing knees. The stiff, all black ensemble he was wearing was starting to itch along the slim column of his neck and Draco hurriedly glanced around the tall, mismatched items as he swore he heard something moving in the distant shadows.<p>

Even from the depths of the secluded room on the far edge of the castle he heard the echoing chime of the clock tower indicating the evening hour of six o'clock. Any minute now the doors of the Cabinet would slide open and the several Death Eaters would pour out, he was fulfilling his end of the order by the skin of his teeth. Draco gripped his wand tighter, standing abruptly, his shoulder length blonde hair tousling down his back, as the faintest creak foreshadowed the slight opening of one door. Gulping loudly, he watched as the black fog that surrounded the evildoers seeped from inside before one side was pushed ajar and a cackling laugh preceded his aunt Bellatrix. She daintily stepped out, followed by Fenrir Greyback and a handful of masked men, and turned to Draco with a malicious grin.

"Draco darling," she cooed. "So good to see you. Let's be going, shall we?" She howled again and the men behind her chuckled as the group took a step forward and the blonde teenager was forced to turn to lead them out of the room.

The entourage trailed behind Draco as he wearily took them through the halls of Hogwarts. Something felt morally wrong about being the person to have brought such hatred and maliciousness into the castle but Draco knew he had no choice if he wanted to keep his parents alive. His head began to swim and he held his gaze ahead to keep from glancing back every time he heard the rumble of footsteps behind him grow fainter as the Death Eaters separated out into the large stone fortress. Suits of armor clanged loudly as they hit the floors and the distinct sound of canvas tearing echoed down the hallways as Bellatrix slashed at random portraits.

"I smell ripe flesh," Fenrir suddenly exclaimed, his black eyes shutting and his nose tilting up into the air as he sniffed for the right scent. When he found it, he stared at the remainder of the group and sneered laviously. "Hmmm - a redhead, she smells utterly delicious."

Hastily glancing around, Draco saw the barest flicker of flaming locks as Ginny Weasley poked around a nearby corner. He could tell that she was aware that the wolf was talking about her but she remained peering close by despite the now dangerous conditions for her. He silently begged her to meet his stare and when her chocolate eyes met his grey orbs, Draco only saw fierce determination and that fiery Weasley anger.

"You'll get your girly, wolfman," Bellatrix promised, her ruby red lips turning up in a devilish smile as her waves of inky curls swayed seductively around her. "But first!" She proclaimed, turning dramatically to step towards Draco as he recoiled from her spidery touch. "Little Draco here has to go kill the Headmaster! Come, dearie. Go on up to the Astronomy Tower and we'll stand guard."

He stood there in shock, honey eyebrows raised in nervous surprise as Draco was held frozen under his aunt's gaze. Everything seemed to have happened so fast, the months evaporated with nothing to show for the number of nights he had spent worrying and pacing over his eventual fate. All of the hours spent concocting errant plans, crafting poisoned mead and cursing pieces of jewelry, had resulted in many failed attempts at Dumbledore's life that were supposed to have gotten him off the hook easily.

"Come on, boy. Up ya go," Bellatrix commanded, swatting a taloned hand of bright red nails at his forearm to push him forward to the entrance of the Astronomy Tower. "We haven't got all night now," she finished and the men guffawed as they watched the hallways, the loud bangs and commotions of fighting growing louder as the other Death Eaters progressed through the castle.

_I have to do this. I have to,_ Draco thought repeatedly, his strong lips tightening into a straight line and his shoulder pushing back as he steadied his wand and slowly walked through the small group. The wooden door soundlessly opened and he felt the hot breath of Fenrir on the back of his neck as he and Bellatrix followed the boy into the base of the tower. The pair stopped at the bottom of the metal, spiral stairs but peered eagerly as Draco glanced back, reaffirming his task as he continued forward, placing one foot in front of the other until he was gradually making his way up the dizzying staircase.

Faint trails of pale moonlight fell through the various rectangular windows along the rounded walls and Draco quietly hurried as he grew closer to the top and the trailings of voices seeped through the wooden floorboards above. His palms were sweating profusely and his wand slipped in his grasp but Draco kept going as the final steps came into view and his silver eyes became even with the floor. He stepped until he reached the top and ultimately he was not surprised to find Dumbledore waiting for him, his wizened hands folded behind his back as his eyes twinkled behind his half-moon spectacles.

"Mister Malfoy," the Headmaster greeted warmly, his thin lips curling up in a genuine smile. "I am sorry that it had to come to this." His words betrayed the placid demeanor that his face portrayed, his tone sad as Draco realized that Dumbledore was just as worried about what he was meant to do.

"Shut up, you old fool!" Draco bellowed, his wand pointing forward shakily as he irrationally jumped into rambling on to hide his nerves. "You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Oh I think I do," Dumbledore stated, taking one step towards the teenage wizard.

"Stay there! Don't move!" Draco yelled and Dumbledore held up his hands, palms open, to show he meant no harm as he retreated.

"You tried so valiantly to carry out your mission, Mr. Malfoy. Injuring Katie Bell, Madam Rosemertta, and Ronald Weasley in the process, but I understand how your intentions were pure to keep your own hand out of my death."

"Shut up!" Draco screamed again, his fingers twitching around the wooden wand as his grey eyes jumped between Dumbledore's imploringly kind face and the low railing just behind him. "I have to do what he wants! Or he'll kill my parents! I don't have a choice!"

"My dear boy, you always have a choice," Dumbledore remarked, his silver eyebrows knitting together to emphasis his sincere belief in the statement.

"Not now I don't!"

Smiling forcibly, the Headmaster wrapped his knobby fingers together against his waist as he peered at Draco. There was the faint sound of the door pushing open several floors below them and the sound echoed up the tower as disgruntled voices followed the noise and loud footsteps clamored up the spiral staircase.

"My death will not be by your hand," Dumbledore firmly stated and Draco anxiously took a small step forward as his impatient anger boiled over.

"Like hell it won't!" Draco roared and a surge of adrenaline blinded his guilty conscience as his wand trembled.

"Step back, Mr. Malfoy," Professor Snape commanded behind him and Draco whipped around to glare at the greasy haired man as he swept across the short distance. "This is no longer your concern."

"I can do this!" Draco cried, his voice whining as he moved closer to the Headmaster.

"I said, step back boy!" Snape bellowed and without warning a spidery hand grabbed his shoulder and shoved him out of the way. Draco tried to keep his balance as he fell sideways but he stumbled, his knees hitting the hard wooden floors as he hurriedly scrambled to stand back up, shooting fiery daggers at Snape through his heated gaze.

"Ahh, Severus," Dumbledore pleasantly said, the lines of his wizened face seeming deeper as he gently smiled. "You have come to fulfill your end of our bargain."

Draco glanced between the men, his grey eyes wide as he noticed the adamant stare in his professor's gaze. He stood next to the two wizards who had molded his life further than any others, openly gaping at what he suddenly knew would happen as Bellatrix and Fenrir cackled from the edge of the room. Somehow other Death Eaters had followed Snape up the tower and were waiting eagerly for a live showing of the task they had been sent to make sure was completed. Several had their shiny masks raised, various faces boldly revealed as they moved closer with Bellatrix's every jumping step. Snape too recognized the group of men and tossed a glare over his shoulder, coolly meeting Bellatrix's evil grin as he halted the ensemble with his stare.

"Take Draco out of here, Bella. He does not need to see this."

She laughed manically, sidling up to the pale wizard as a set of sharp, flaming talons lightly ran up the scratchy material of his cloak. "And miss all the fun?"

"Do it now, Bella," Snape furiously rushed, bringing a tight smile to Dumbledore's lips as she frowned irritably at his authoritative tone. "Now!"

"Fine, fine," she sassily responded, turning on the ball of her leather boot as she sneered menacingly at the assembled Death Eaters. "Come on, Drakie."

Hesitant to leave his position, Snape threw a narrowed glare at the blonde wizard and Draco nervously stumbled away as Dumbledore watched, seemingly happy with where these events were taking him. He glanced back once more as he moved behind Bella's shorter frame going down the staircase, anxiously anticipating for Dumbledore to suddenly turn on them all and make his escape through a magically extravagant gesture. But the two contrasting men were staring back, waiting for Draco to be escorted down the tower by his aunt and an irritated Fenrir. The last thing he saw before his feet continued down to the next step was Snape turning back to face Dumbledore, his greasy face contorted in anguish as his wand slowly rose.

Draco's head was spinning as he nearly fell down the remainder of the stairs, his shoulders pushed forward and propelling his momentum until he was at the bottom, rushing to halt behind an excited Bellatrix and Fenrir. Both looked back at him, standing aside to let him be the one to duck his head out into the hallway to scope out the action. He pushed open the wooden door, pausing to catch his breath as the smell of smoke and the sounds of running footsteps and shrill screams met his ears. Stepping out, the pair behind him slithered through the doorway as a ringing boom resounded through the corridor.

"Come now," Bellatrix cooed. "Let's have some _fun_ before Snape drags us away!"

Fenrir licked his lips, his snout high in the air as his claws clenched at his sides. Draco felt a chill run his spine at the idea of this wolf attacking someone, probably who he knew, in front of his eyes.

"Ahhh," he groaned. "She's here."

His gaze widened and Draco gripped the slippery handle of his wand as he peered both ways of the corridor, knowing who Fenrir was referring to from their earlier encounter. Screams and angry fighting could still be heard but the growing sounds of voices approached the lonely hallway as Bellatrix twirled her wand and grinned menacingly towards the sound.

"Looks like the toys are coming to us."

"I want the girl."

"You'll get her, pet. You'll get her."

Draco swallowed hard, the all-encompassing guilt returning as his recent actions caught up to him and he blinked rapidly. He did not wish this death or circumstance on even his worst enemies. One of which was walking straight into their hands. Their shadows preceded them but their voices became distinct as Bill and Ginny Weasley rounded the nearest stone corner. Wands pointed steadfastly in front of them, the siblings immediately halted when they saw the trio waiting for them just meters away.

"Go get 'em," Bellatrix coaxed into Fenrir's ear, his hairy chest heaving with labored breaths between the lapels of his leather duster as his shoulders relaxed, his snout inhaling rapidly and his knees bending slightly until he needed no further prodding and the wolf took off in a leap down the hallway to his prey.

Bellatrix laughed evilly as Draco stood petrified, frozen to the spot to where all he could do was watch as the brown creature grew closer to his intended victim. Her chocolate eyes were wide but Ginny grasped her wand firmly as the salacious gleam in Fenrir's black orbs glinted for her. He was closing the distance too rapidly and she could not seem to get her lips to part or her voice to work for her to defend them. Bill was shooting spells at the creature but the wolf kept his pace as if the magic did not affect him.

Just as Fenrir pushed his weight down, coiling his knees in preparation to spring up and jump forward, his claws out and ready to attack, Bill shoved Ginny aside, wobbling in front of her as the wolf's momentum rushed his furry body across the brute redhead. "No!" He screamed as Ginny tumbled to the floor, his weight shielding her as the attacker continued. His talons ripped at the Weasley's face and his groans of pain echoed loudly, prompting Ginny into action as her brain comprehended the sights her eyes were seeing. Bellatrix had noiselessly followed Fenrir, her presence distracted by the wolf's aggressive approach, and she grinned crazily as she rushed forward, grabbing one of Ginny's wrists and her throat in the other hand as the redhead's cries died on her tongue.

"Get your hands off me, you psychotic bitch!" Ginny screamed, nerves racking her body and sending goose bumps across her skin as the tiny Bellatrix squeezed tighter and lifted the small girl's weight off the ground.

"You dare to speak to me like that, you filthy blood traitor!" Bella screeched, her ruby red lips puckering as she ceremoniously spit into Ginny's face. Her free hand scratched at the dark haired woman's arm pressed against her chest but Bella only cackled, amusement evident as she watched the teenager struggle. Her right hand disappeared into the folds of her gown along her waist and Ginny peered with bulging eyes as her wooden wand was replaced by a gleaming silver dagger.

"Maybe I'll just ... get you _ready _for the wolfie," Bellatrix remarked, her wrist turning so the sharp point of the small knife was directed at Ginny's abdomen as the young girl squirmed and attempted strongly to get free.

"Please - no! Stop!" Ginny begged but her pleading words only sped up Bella's arm as the dagger shot forward, making contact with the soft flesh of Ginny's stomach as she instantly bended around the blow, seeming to pull the blade further into her as Bella drove the weapon home. The wound was immediately gushing blood, a growing red circle soaking the left side of Ginny's garments as her chest stilled, her lungs empty while her body went into the first stages of shock from the semi-fatal blow. She twisted the blade, the enormous rushing of pain pulling Ginny's mouth in a large O as her freckled hands momentarily went limp, the redhead's fiery spirit returning with the slow removal of the dagger as Bella licked her lips and narrowed her dark gaze. Ginny used what little adrenaline she had left to hastily push at Bellatrix's shoulder, knocking the smirking witch off balance enough for her to dart past, one hand holding her gushing wound and the other with her wand shakily pointed behind her.

"Stupid girl!" Bellatrix roared, whipping around but pausing as she caught sight of the two men. Fenrir had torn up Bill's face pretty badly but the Weasley had resulted to brute strength to kick the wolf off of him. The pair was still on the floor but Bill was trying his best to keep the animal's jaws just far enough from his body as Fenrir scrambled to rip open his throat. Huffing angrily, Bellatrix stormed over to the men and firmly grabbed the back of the wolf's cloak to pull him up.

"You foolish mut! She's getting away!"

His snout suddenly stilled, sniffing loudly as Bill groaned beneath them. Fenrir rapidly turned around, his black eyes focusing on Ginny limping down the hallway, his gaze moving to Draco as the blonde wizard stood in shock. Unable to have moved while the attack was happening, Draco dizzily became aware of his surroundings as the youngest Weasley staggered towards him. Noticing movement beyond them, he saw Fenrir and Bella take a hasty step forward as Ginny fell to the ground at his feet. Now they were watching to see what the Malfoy would do, eagerly waiting for him to curse the girl or maim her further.

"Remus! Come on!" Nymphadora Tonks yelled, her voice resonating through the crumbling hallways as their running steps suddenly echoed. "We have to find them! Molly will hex us to next week if anythings happened to Ginny."

Their appearance was perfect timing distracting the pair from Ginny as Bellatrix and Fenrir turned and retreated down the corridor, stepping over Bill's unconscious body as they crept closer to the mouth of the hallway where they could intercept the new Order members. A heavy groan below him jerked Draco's attention, his grey eyes swiveling to stare at Ginny as she crawled across the blood soaked stones, attempting to brush past him without notice. Dropping to his knees, Draco released his wand to fall to the floor as his pale hands hesitantly reached for Ginny. When his touch lightly seized her hip, she vaulted up, her elbow bending backwards to push into his gut as she fearfully glanced over her shoulder. Not so easily deterred, Draco reached once more and readjusted his grip as he rotated Ginny onto her back with a forceful shove and she unnecessarily kicked one leg up to attempt to dislodge his hands.

"Ge' off me, Malfoy!" Ginny yelled, her bum sliding in the short trail of her own blood as she used both hands to weakly push at him. "Get away! Leave me alone!"

"I'm trying to help, you daft girl!" Draco roughly whispered, his blonde head turning to nervously watch his aunt and the wolf's progress as they rounded the stone corner and screams of curses and spells rang out.

"Help? !" Ginny cried, her chocolate eyes tightly closing as she winced under a rapid bolt of pain. "I'll never get out of here alive if_ you_ want to help me!"

Sliding his thin hands under her shoulder blades and past her knees, Draco tugged on Ginny's light frame, cautiously dragging her across the width of the hallway until his back hit the stone wall and his blonde head fell backwards against the rough surface. His fingers wiggled as he yanked Ginny across his lap, his legs stretching out as he sat holding the witch against his chest. She was trembling now, her skin growing paler and clammy as her eyelids fluttered and Ginny struggled to take a breath. Turning her head to rest against his torso, all the fight left her as Ginny dazedly stared up at his handsome face.

"Malfoy. . . What are you doing?" She quietly and slowly asked. "They'll murder you for helping me."

As if her words had triggered actions elsewhere, Bellatrix's cackling laugh echoed and Fenrir's growl of appeasement resounded, both teenagers stilling as they thankfully heard the distant footsteps grow even smaller. A minute passed and silence blanketed the hallway, Ginny's labored breathing matching the erratic beats of Draco's heart.

"They'll never notice I'm missing," he replied forlornly, his voice catching as Ginny gazed blankly at the lines of worry and grief etched into his forehead, his grey eyes darting across her colorless face as one hand traced the lines of her jaws with the faintest touch. Her blood seeped onto his left hand where he was holding her to his chest, reminding Draco of why the youngest Weasley was not fighting his close proximity. "Let's get you fixed up," he murmured, the muscles of his face itching to turn up in a small smile as he summoned his wand from the nearby floor and waved it shortly over Ginny's wound, her flaming head barely nodding against his sternum as she wavered between consciousness after the great loss of life fluid.

"Ahhhh!" Ginny groaned as the magic worked effortlessly but the pain remained where the injury was healing. "Malfoy - please!" He glanced to her face, contorted in agonizing pain, and he released his hold slightly, hoping he was not furthering her distress from his touch. "No! Please, don't let me go! Please - Malfoy!"

The words astonished him but Draco readjusted his grasp, pulling Ginny tighter as she shook with the last spasms of moaning agony. As he quietly sat, smoothing back errant strands of fiery curls and randomly double checking for a pulse, Draco felt a sort of penance from saving Ginny's life. Aware that someone, if not Bill waking up, would have soon walked by and seen the bloody girl. But his presence here at the tower, despite the original intents, permitted the blonde wizard to give help where he otherwise would not have. Dumbledore was surely dead at this point but Draco securely guarded the life in his arms, silently swearing to protect Ginny if anyone else attempted to harm her.

Stirring groggily, one hand immediately clutching at her bare healed side as she tried to push her shoulders forward, her flaming head spinning with dizziness and falling back against Draco's arm.

"What happened, Bill?" She questioned without opening her chocolate eyes, shortened memory loss from the leaked blood causing her brain to forget the recent events.

"I'm not sure that's a compliment to either one of us, Weaslette," Draco drawled good naturedly, his full lips turning up in a smirk as a scowl furrowed Ginny's eyebrows and she hesitantly peeled one eye open to confirm her suspicions.

"Malfoy?"

"None other."

"Why did you -" she started, confusion and lingering pain keeping her from moving out of his arms. "Why help me?"

Sighing heavily, Draco stared at a lone, dark freckle on the column of her pale neck as he momentarily thought about the appropriate answer to that question. "I don't know. . . I guess - you never know when you'll have your last moments. And I don't - I won't be remembered as a cowardly ferret."

Ginny stared in amazement at the down turned face of the blonde wizard, a new light falling on his hidden personality at a time when he would soon be regarded as a traitor to the school. Everything that she had thought was black and white, all the lines she had worked to erase that confirmed the greyness of the world, was blurred as the scared and anxious boy glanced to her imploring gaze. There was fear and longing and hope swirled in his silver eyes and if she had been able, the air would have evaporated from her lungs.

"Never say never, Malfoy," Ginny sincerely intoned, her voice raspy but light as he nodded slowly, entranced by her mocha gaze and nurturing tone. "You never know what could happen."

Without notice the wooden door to the Astronomy Tower swung open, banging loudly against the stone wall as Snape hurried out followed by the handful of Death Eaters. His pallor was paler than usual and both teenagers looked in surprise at the sudden intrusion on their silent hallway. Glancing both ways and spotting the young pair, Snape tore down the corridor to stop dramatically in front of them only several yards away. Paying no mind to Ginny, the Potions Professor bent slightly to wrap his long fingers in the collar of Draco's jacket, yanking strongly as she tumbled to the floor and Draco was forced to his feet.

The tumbling of fiery locks caught in the flickering light of the wall sconces, his dark eyes darting to the wave of flaming hair as his memories lashed forward to remind him of the woman he would always love. Shaking his greasy head and pulling on Draco's collar again when he struggled to help a moaning Ginny, Snape turned on his heel and took a large step back towards the waiting Death Eaters.

"Come now, Draco," Snape commanded, his gaze briefly glancing over his shoulder as the boy refused to move. "We must leave."

Draco was torn between making the right decision to stay with Ginny and make sure she was taken to the Hospital Wing and making the smart choice to leave with the Death Eaters to save his own life. That growing voice inside his head that repeated that he wasn't good enough arose, berating his selfish desire to run instead of accepting the consequences of his actions. He had been raised on the concept that he could do no wrong, that his every step was the right one but now Draco doubted that severely as his guilt drowned out all other thoughts.

"Go," Ginny rasped from the floor, drawing his and Snape's attention as she focused on the blonde wizard. "You'll never get out otherwise."

Nodding distractedly Draco glanced once to the other end of the corridor, shortly staring at the fate that was surely awaiting his future. Ginny sighed softly and he looked back, honest worry creasing his brow as she smirked, wincing slightly when she pressed her hand back and attempted to sit up too quickly. Bending at the waist and placing a hand out for her to steady her moving weight, Draco tightened his lips and tilted his blonde head curiously when Ginny shyly covered her face to hide a rising blush.

"Never say never, Weaslette," he replied, standing up and turning to Snape with a fearful but determined gaze. The teacher nodded his consent and continued his momentum, leading Draco down the corridor after pausing to swiftly kick Bill in the side, earning a pained groan from the wizard as he came to.

"Hey!" Ginny called. "Malfoy!"

He barely stopped, merely rotating his torso as he kept walking but with raised honey eyebrows, his grey eyes met her mocha orbs and indicated his attention to her shouted words.

"Thank you," she said levelly, punctuating the softer words with a gentle smile as Draco dipped his blonde head accordingly, one corner of his lips pulling up as he turned back to continue following Snape and the Death Eaters down the corridor. He was soon rushing to keep up with the small group as a sizable number of Order members and teachers were quickly chasing them out of the castle. There was not a moment for Draco to mull over everything that had happened as they hurried down the front lawn towards the front gate. Errant spells and curses hurtled past their heads as he followed the screechy heckling of Bellatrix into the night, his mind swimming with the image of the faintest smile below a freckled nose and warm, chocolate eyes.

Ginny had watched Draco's blonde head grow smaller until he disappeared down the corridor and out of sight. The wound on her left side still ached but his healing spells had worked enough for her to be able to stand and lean against Bill as the siblings slowly trotted to the infirmary, the hallways quiet now as everyone was assembled on the quad outside silently mourning Dumbledore's death.

"Who fixed ya, Gin?" Bill wheezed when they sat down to catch their breaths, halfway to the Hospital Wing but the distance seeming further. "Did ya - do it - yerself?"

"No," Ginny replied, her brown gaze turning distant as she remembered staring up at Draco's pale face, certain she was hallucinating when he turned to save her instead of kicking her while she was down. The traces of a fleeting, reminiscent smile jerked her lips in what could have been mistaken as a twitch, her mouth parting as she stated truthfully, "It must have been an angel."

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**A/N:**

**Thank you for reading! Please review and tell me what you think - this had no romantic aspect to the plot but I enjoyed writing it nonetheless. **

**Part III will be coming soon - just need to get inspiration and put those fingers to the keyboard. **


	3. Part III

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, or ideas relating to or pertaining to the world of Harry Potter and JK Rowling. I graciously thank JK for her life-changing works and our ability as faithful readers to use her creations as our own for pure fanfic pleasure. Because honestly, if I did own the rights to Draco and Ginny, obviously they would end up together forever and always. **

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As previously stated, the contents of each chapter are not based off of what happened in the previous Part. The entire story will wrap up as if all the events happened in the same set of mind for Draco and Ginny, as in they will have knowledge in the upcoming chapters of what has happened in the preceding Parts but those events will not necessarily influence everything else that happens. THIS particular chapter takes place in an AU where anything I want can or already has happened. If you think some of these events sound familiar – AWESOME. But I do not claim them and am merely twisting them for my own purposes.

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><p>It was about the time of year when the leaves were beginning to change, ripe green becoming a scarlet red as flaming as her silky tresses. Others turning a bright yellow only shades darker than his flaxen locks. Fall was upon the city of London and the Queen was using the cooperating weather as an excuse to stay outdoors as long as possible. Anything to show her subjects that there was nothing to fear despite the looming war with neighboring Ireland.<p>

Her short reign had at first been troublesome but with the assistance of her most trusted adviser, Queen Ginevra had risen above the criticism to lead her country. Considering the turmoil and tyranny that had been ripe in the air, the people had come to respect their Queen and some had even come around to join her side. Many a citizen still resented the young, flame haired beauty for overthrowing the late King Rupert but the few who had stood behind her had been rewarded greatly. Namely the man responsible for her campaign to the top, Ginevra's personal everything, Draconis. The towheaded man had seen the Queen through many battles, physical and political, and he continued to guide her actions with the best intentions. Somewhere along the line though, he had become more than just her assistant and guard - they had fallen in love.

Sworn to secrecy, the lovers hid their affair from the prying eyes of the British court, staving away rumors and gossip of the intimate relationship. Draconis had remained faithful to Ginevra despite her hasty and rash decisions, his silver gaze never breaking when he stood behind his Queen as she announced her newest decrees and the people roared in displeasure at her edicts. He had protected her when outraged citizens had successfully ambushed the castle with the intent to kill the Red Queen. Finally, when her reign had reached the decade mark and still the slight majority of people refused to abide by her rule, Ginevra understood the harsh reality of being a monarch and grew cold, becoming distant even to Draconis as the Irish threatened war every day. He was hurt, visibly upset with the Queen when they were in each others company until one or both of them would be forced to leave the room. Ginevra feared that by allowing any more of her weaknesses to show, her people would ultimately grow weary of her uncertain characteristics and stage a coup.

The only way to prevent that was to invade Ireland and end the war before it could begin. Of course that would require a full fledged army, one of which she did not currently possess. Many men had been killed from the Plague and the few that remained were ill fit for combat. Those that remained did so for the honor of their country, willing to fight for their monarch whoever they may be.

Demanding to be left alone but knowing a lone soldier was still keeping watch over her movements, Ginevra retreated to the barren apple groves on the corner of the royal property nearest to the woods. This was where she came to think, to escape the many worries that accompanied the title of Queen. Tucked away within the grove of trees was a small bench that was hidden under the canopy of fading leaves. A cool breeze softly blew through the hanging branches, ruffling the lace hem of her velvet emerald gown as she sat down, her freckled hands sweeping across her lap automatically to remove any creases. The silver clasp holding her black cape around her shoulders dug into her neck and Ginevra pulled the ornate jewel off her pale skin to breathe easier. One hand strayed to grip the stone seat while the other reached up to roughly jerk the light golden crown from her fiery curls.

Holding the jeweled tiara in front of her disdainfully, Ginevra scoffed - frowning at the headpiece as if it were going to burn her if she held it any longer. "Queen. . . What do I know about ruling a country? My people are right to hate me."

There was a large rustling of the leaves of a tall bush behind her and Ginevra peered over her shoulder to glare at the spying man as he ducked through the limbs.

"You have made a fantastic Queen, Ginevra. Why must you continue to think otherwise?"

She huffed, turning back to stare at the dark bark of the surrounding trees as Draconis noiselessly paced around the bench to sit beside her, the crown clanking to the stone on her opposite side. His warm closeness surrounded her but Ginevra fought the rush of electricity that threatened to tremble her haughty facade when he moved his leg closer to brush his knee against her thigh.

"They hate me, Draco," she quietly stated, her tone imploring him to understand as she refused to meet his silver gaze, anger and guilty resentment lacing her voice. "And they have every reason to - I had my own brother killed so that I could become Queen."

"With good reason! Rupert was mad with a lust for power. If he had not attacked the Irish royal family during a time of peace, your hand would not have been forced to eliminate his greedy ways."

"It does not matter," Ginevra responded, her thin fingers weaving together as her chocolate eyes blinked resolutely. "Nothing will change their minds now - the people loved Rupert. They despise me. That will never change."

Rotating to sit sideways, Draconis rapidly reached forward to grab her small hands in his own larger palms. Her attention was instantly focused on him as her torso was forced to turn towards him. "You must never say never, Ginny. Anything is possible if you set your mind to it."

Mocha eyes growing wide, tears suddenly springing to the darkened corners, he noticed her pink lips tremble before tightening into a narrow line. He knew that the use of his nickname for her always elicited a strong reaction but Ginevra stilled for other reasons. Fiery curls bounced across her shoulders as she tugged her fingers from his touch, jolting forward to stand before taking a timid step away from the bench. Ginevra crossed her arms, shoulder slumping as her red head bent and she spoke into the wind.

"I don't know how much longer I can do this. They're expecting a swift attack and all I really want is to somehow make peace again with Ireland."

She heard the low rustle as Draconis hesitantly stood, pacing to tower over her as his calloused hands gently wrapped around the curves of her waist, and Ginevra shut her eyes to inhale his scent slowly as she momentarily leaned back into his embrace. His shaggy blonde head dipped to rest on her shoulder and she shook lightly when his hot mouth pressed a soft kiss to the inside of her neck. The consuming ball of lust that endangered her calm senses whenever he was near grew to a flaming mass between her thighs as Draconis fluttered kisses along the underside of her jaw, his hands deftly roaming up the sides of her gown to inch closer to her heaving breasts. Working up the anxious courage to pull away, Ginevra unwound her arms to clutch at his wrists and propel herself forward, leaving Draconis irritably stunned as she rushed to the other side of the small, treed enclosure and tentatively leaned against a gnarled trunk with her back to him.

"Why do you keep fighting me?" He growled, quick temper rising as he strode across the short space to forcefully grab her arm, twisting her to face him. "For the past several months you have avoided me - gone out of your way to not have to be near me. Why is that, Gin? What happened?"

Her own anger eclipsing the rapid beating of her heart, Ginevra sneered and pushed his hand off her arm.

"Know your place, _guard."_

Body trembling with white hot fury, Draconis controlled his spasming limbs as his blonde head nodded forward in a sarcastic bow. "Forgive me, my _Queen._ I only thought the man who got you to your current political standing, the man who has and would lie down his own life for yours, this man who loves your stubborn ways, that he would be owed some sort of gratitude and _trust."_

Attempting to slide past his tall, muscled frame to escape into the forest beyond, Ginevra shakily inched around Draconis before softly tossing out, "We can't all get what we want," her voice distantly sad as she glanced sideways and missed the rapid grab of his swift hands.

This time when his long fingers coiled around her bony shoulders, Ginevra was unprepared and thrown off balance as he twirled her body so her back was pressed against his toned chest, his blonde head craning so his hot breath fanned the side of her face. Draconis held her to him, lifting her off the ground slightly as his short fuse exploded and he angrily whispered into the shell of her ear, his rotation turning them so the far edges of the castle were just visible over the tops of the apple trees.

"Is this not what you wanted?" He gruffly and rhetorically asked. "Everything you see - its yours. All of it. Would you just throw that all away because the scared little girl inside of you convinced you that it was all too much? Are you willing to give_ us_ up because you can't face your people?"

His grasp was steadfast and she squirmed under the pressure but Ginevra heard the strained sadness to his words and felt her stomach plummet for the pain she had caused him because of her own insecurities. Her auburn head dropped against her chest shamefully and Draconis tilted his gaze further to peer around her curls to stare at her inflamed cheeks.

"If they knew about us - they would use it against me. They would see it as a weakness and would play you to get to me," Ginevra quietly admitted, all of her royal glory gone as she bared her most inner thoughts for the one person who mattered most. "They would never accept us."

Instead of going soft at her honest words as Ginevra had hoped, Draconis felt the coiling of spiteful anger burst and he suddenly released her arms to let her stumble forward.

"_They_ would never accept us? Or you won't give them the opportunity to?" He spat, his silver eyes narrowed and his blonde eyebrows furrowed as he glared at her stuttering steps and gaping mouth. "Don't forget that I was the one who crept into your brother's chambers and murdered him in his sleep - an underhanded, deceptive death that you insisted on. I put my neck out for you so that our country could prosper under the rule of someone who I thought could handle the pressure. You say I'm your weakness, Ginevra, but your only weakness is your inability to decide what you want."

Giving her a disgusted once over glance, Draconis scoffed, shaking his head unbelievably as he turned and moved to walk away. Ginevra let him get to the treeline before a sob tore from her constricted throat and she shakily yelled, "Wait!" Pausing dramatically and rolling his shoulders to convey his irritation, Draconis held his back to her as she softly rushed to stop behind him, one pale hand cautiously reaching to touch his back before it recoiled hesitantly.

"Draco - this is so hard," she almost silently stated. "I've been Queen for almost a decade and nothing has changed. War is still looming on our doorstep. The people still resent me for taking away their beloved Rupert. And now you can't stand the sight of me because I have pushed you away too. Every decision I have made seems to be the wrong one and I don't know where to go from here to where everyone will be happy." Glancing up she could tell she had his attention from the way his head was just slightly inclined towards her raspy voice and Ginevra continued on with her mumbling speech. "Being Queen is so much more difficult than I anticipated and most days I have to force myself out of bed when the maids come clamoring to see if something has happened to me. I just wonder how different it would all be now, if we had not killed Rupert and had left him to destroy Britain."

"If you're so miserable," Draconis started, swirling fluidly to face Ginevra as she hopefully met his gaze. "If you hate ruling so badly, then we should run away - escape to somewhere where they'll never find us and you would never have to worry about what others think again." His words were rushed but sincere as his anger dissipated and was replaced by imploring desire. "We could be together and no one would be the wiser that you were British blue blood and I, a lowly peasant."

The tears that she had held back thus far fell over the brim of her lower eyelashes and Ginevra blinked rapidly to clear the moisture from her vision. Without preamble Draconis lifted both hands to sweep away the salty trails, his thumbs brushing her soft cheeks then stopping as his large palms held her head preciously. He kept his silver gaze locked on her brown eyes as he directly said, "If our roles were reversed, I would give up anything to be with you. You are the light to my darkness, the sun to my moon. I love you Gin, and I want everyone to know it."

Tears once more dropped off the wet ends of her auburn eyelashes but they were accompanied by a small, giddy smile as Ginevra brightened visibly.

"I love you too Draco," she responded softly, her lithe body pressing forward against his hard chest as he kept her gaze steady.

Ever go slowly he tilted his head forward, bending his neck slightly until his full lips were a hair's breath from Ginevra's mouth and her eyes fluttered shut in anticipation. Her plump, pink mouth parted and her feverish tongue darted out to lick her dry lips, the small action sending the blood rushing to his hardening cock as Draconis wrapped one hand around the back of her neck and pressed his lips against hers after a shared exhale. The kiss was enrapturing, completely blanking out the rest of the world as the pair grasped at clothing to somehow get closer. Ginevra's hands crept up his broad chest to grab hold of the lapels of his stiff coat, her fingers crawling to slip between his silky locks. Draconis kept the Queen tight against his body as their lips danced passionately, their tongues tangling for electrifying dominance. So long it had been since they had last been intimate or even kissed that their oral union now was ravenously filled with hungry lips and needy hands.

When their mouths separated, Ginevra was gasping for breath as Draconis dipped his blonde head to nibble at the soft flesh of her neck and jaw. She was panting loudly, breasts pushed completely against his chest as heat pooled in her nether lips.

"Oh Draco," she moaned roughly.

"I love it when you call me that," he rasped in response, his voice gravelly as he leaned back slightly to meet her lusty gaze.

"Draco?"

"Yes Gin," he growled and captured her lips again as Ginevra slipped her fingers around his neck and tugged on his flaxen locks. As difficult as it may have seemed she still attempted to jump up and wrap her legs around his torso. Unfortunately the extra poofy skirt of her gown made her look demented as she instead tumbled backwards, their lips unceremoniously unlatching as Draco shot an arm out to catch her. A blush reddened her freckled cheeks but he chuckled deeply, grinning as she tried to smile without the embarrassment.

"Let me help you with that, love," he said and swiftly bent his knees to sweep his other arm under her legs to draw her against his chest fluidly. Ginevra rocked in his arms, one hand snaking around to lock around his neck as Draco turned and began walking back to the stone bench, her fiery head tilting so their lips feverishly collided. Rotating and squatting when his legs hit the edge of the bench, he leaned back against the stone backing as Ginevra twisted one leg around his waist to straddle his torso, their greedy lips never parting as Draco's large hands clasped at the small of her back and she held his broad shoulders. Their make out session was turning hot and heavy, the clutch of her cape coming undone and falling off her lithe frame as the top buttons of his coat were quickly dismantled and a pale sliver of skin was showing on both of them.

Draco's eager lips had moved down her jaw to nip at the soft skin above her collarbones as Ginevra tilted her flaming curls backwards, groaning throatily as she held onto his lustrous blonde locks. His face was buried in her cleavage, tongue licking at her sweating skin, and she had her head thrown back with her chocolate eyes shut, a blissful smile pulling up her lips, when a sudden, loud throat clearing caught their attentions. Draco kept his head where it was against her chest and Ginevra slowly peeled one eye open to look upside down at the uniformed guard standing on the far edge of the clearing.

"Pardon my intrusion, my Queen," he stated, clearly embarrassed as he kept his young gaze diverted as if he were speaking to the ground. Ginevra leaned forward, pressing her breasts further into Draco's face as she turned her torso towards the guard. "But the French liaison just arrived and Jane thought it prudent for you to be waiting to receive him."

The Queen of England resumed her straight forward stance, red head bending to meet Draco's silver stare as his teeth bit at the fullness of his lower lip and he grinned impishly. "Of course. I'll just be a moment," she said without turning to see the guard's bright eyes widen suddenly as his hips jerked uncomfortably, his trousers tightening at the arousing sight of his beautiful Queen. After a moment when she still did not acknowledge his presence further, the young guard awkwardly spun on his heel to race through the gardens back to the castle.

"Duty calls," Ginevra stated reluctantly, loose fingers trailing along the sharp planes of his cheekbones as Draco held their hips firmly together.

"I guess that means our plans of disappearing are out of the question," he remarked humorously, his grey eyes twinkling as Ginevra falsely pouted.

"It will have to wait for another day," she admitted with a promising smirk. "For now - someone has to be Queen."

"And I would not prefer it to be anyone other than you," Draco added pointedly, one honey eyebrow arching as he knowingly stared her down.

"Nor would I," she reluctantly conceded, bowing her flaming head to avoid his gaze as her hands fluttered to lay lightly on his chest.

"Come on," Draco prompted, jostling his knees to bounce her slightly as Ginevra glanced up to his mercury eyes. "I will escort you up to the castle."

Nodding slowly, Ginevra awkwardly threw one leg backwards and pushed her weight off his lap as Draco wrapped his fingers around her elbow securely, strengthening her balance as she stood in front of him. Draco stretched his knees to stand as well, Ginevra turning and bending to retrieve her fallen cape off the ground while he watched silently. When she flung the black material around her shoulders he grabbed for the clasp to secure the garment as she fidgeted with the nonexistent wrinkles in her gown. Forgetting her crown, Draco picked that up too and reverently placed the light metal on top of her fiery curls, dipping slightly to bow.

"Perfect, my Queen," he breathed and Ginevra felt her heart hammer against her ribs and her head grow lightheaded as he gracefully returned to his full height but held his fixed gaze on her.

Draco rotated halfway, offering his bent arm for her to slip her hand past his elbow as they slowly walked out of the apple grove. The castle was clearly in sight, merely a handful of paces more until they were out of the gardens, when Draco rapidly jerked their linked arms and rushed to the right to hastily press Ginevra against the last tree trunk before the stone entrance. Immediately thinking that he had seen an imminent danger that she had not, her chocolate eyes widened to furiously blink over his broad shoulders. After she did not see or hear anyone stealthily moving towards them, Ginevra looked up to Draco's handsome face, confused frown turning down her lips as she took in the adoring grin on his stoic features.

"What is it?" She asked cautiously, hands now tightly gripping his upper arms as Draco held her weight to the tree with his muscled torso.

"I love you, Gin. And I don't care who knows it. They'll never take you away from me. I promise."

Before she could reply Draco crushed his frenzied lips to her parted mouth, stealing her breath away as Ginevra's mocha eyes slid shut of their own violation. The kiss was her lasting reminder that peace needed to be achieved in the near future as the Queen of England sauntered through the empty hallways alone, marveling at the splendor of her castle as she walked to meet the French ambassador. She knew Draco was right - he would protect her through anything and now it was her turn to prove to him that she had faith in their love as much as he did. One day soon, they would be together for all the world to see.

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**A/N:**

**Thank you for reading! This was the chapter that inspired the story and I am glad I was able to get through it quickly. Leave me a review because they are severely lacking so far with this story. I know there was no magical aspect to this chapter but the characters alone are enough to motivate any loving writer and I hope you went with the flow of the story idea instead of wondering what the fuck was happening. **

**Stay tuned for the next posting! And find me on facebook for more often updates. **


	4. Part IV

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, or ideas relating to or pertaining to the world of Harry Potter and JK Rowling. I graciously thank JK for her life-changing works and our ability as faithful readers to use her creations as our own for pure fanfic pleasure. Because honestly, if I did own the rights to Draco and Ginny, obviously they would end up together forever and always. **

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><p>In the months following the Final Battle the students of Hogwarts were deemed heroes, publicly commended alongside the great Harry Potter for saving the British wizarding world. Voldemort had been defeated, and though many brave lives were lost in the process, those who remained were shouldered with the burden of guilty satisfaction. They were only teenagers but they all questioned how it was that they were chosen to live that day when so many good people had to die.<p>

Even the Slytherins and notable "bad guys" were raved for their bravery in opposing their parents to defend the school. Draco had been somewhat shocked by the amount of positive publicity he received but went with the flow to keep at bay the rumors that his role had not been overly effective in the eventual downfall of Voldemort, his blonde head grateful that he was able to avoid linkage to his father's own scrutinizing fame. No matter how they were able to escape condemnation, Narcissa was not willing to risk their safety again and promptly packed all their bags to depart to France for a handful of months. With her son technically finished with school and her husband aiming to stay out of the public eye for a bit, she felt no qualms in rushing the two towheaded wizards into the fireplace to Floo to one of their vacation estates.

Draco spent his days in the French countryside and his nights in the Parisian outliers. Of course news had traveled to the Continent about the abrupt ending to the British wizarding war but he was grateful for the lack of notable news outlets that could provide the foreign citizens with accurate images and details of who did what and when it all happened. The Malfoy's were able to live anonymously next to a small village that accepted their strange money and randomly occupied Manor without question, the townspeople relieved to no longer have to snoop for their information about the mysterious house and its fair haired tenants.

Weeks became longer months and before they had realized the rushing movement of time, a full year had elapsed. Draco was vaguely content with his life in France, his parents constantly dotting on him but also nagging him about finding a wife and settling down. Their comments only fueled him to spread his wild oats more freely and by the time Draco realized the hole in his heart could only be filled by a flame haired witch and the bloody soil of his homeland, he had slept his way through a majority of the female population under the age of thirty within a few square kilometers. Narcissa noticed the depressing change in her son but had vowed not to return to England if she could help it. Lucius too recognized the difference in his child but dismissed it as a hankering for the boy to find something that would hold his interest for more than a minute. Draco became restless when the days eclipsed into more months and he was closer to having lived in France for two years than he was to returning to his fair Britain.

Then the wedding invitation came in the mail. Though they had not spoken in years, Blaise Zabini sent Draco the customized envelope announcing his nuptials to Luna Lovegood. Holding the simple cream invitation in front of him, Draco smirked at the notion that all of his mates would be getting married about now. The distant communication with his once best friend caused him to feel even lonelier in the French chateau; for all the beauty of the old home, he still ached to see the dark stone walls of the British Manor. Without consulting either parent, Draco sent his affirmative response with the owl before it hooted happily with the toss of a treat and flew out the open window. He would have to wait at least a day for the bird to get to the central post office and the letter to be sent quickly to England before he could offhandedly mention his departure to the British Isles to Narcissa.

As expected, the snowy Malfoy matriarch was at first furious, Lucius merely sitting by and watching with disinterest as Draco firmly stated his intents to leave France, folding the daily newspaper over his bent knee with dexterity. Narcissa could only scream and throw her thin arms into the air in defiance and that did her nothing as she realized when she was breathless and both men were still silently staring at her.

"Fine," she ultimately agreed, a fierce glare shortening her vision as one hand gripped her hip and the other pointed a finger at his face. "But when we come to visit - that Manor better be full of children."

"Thank you Mother," Draco appeased with a dutiful kiss to her cheek. Pulling back he let his excitement show with a foolish grin as he smartly remarked, "I can't promise any children but I certainly plan on having a wife before I see you again."

Ashen eyebrows rose on both his parents faces, a rapid glance between the two marking their surprise at his new love interest.

"Who's the lucky witch?" Lucius questioned dryly.

"You'll meet her," Draco promised without answering the question.

Their goodbyes were hasty, the young wizard eager to get to the International Apparation Point in Paris so he could travel quickly to London and on to Wiltshire. The short journey seemed to take hours but barely sixty minutes had passed when Draco was stepping out of the inconspicuous Muggle building to stroll down the busy sidewalk with the rhythm of pedestrians. Entering Diagon Alley would have been reminiscent but he did not want to take the chance that every other witch or wizard would recognize him and cause a stir about his return to Britain. Instead he ambled through Trafalgar Square until the sun was near set before slipping into the Leaky Cauldron with his hood drawn.

Tom paid him no mind and slowly prepared his drink when Draco occupied the last bar stool against the wall and motioned for a short glass of Firewhiskey. Sipping the amber liquid smoothly, he casually rotated his neck to glance over his fellow bar patrons, slightly disappointed when the person closest to his age was the mother nursing an infant and yelling at her two other sons to sit down and eat their food. He turned back to the bar top, drumming his long fingers against the edge of the wooden table as his chilled glass was emptied in a large swallow. When Tom grabbed the cup to refill it, Draco noticed the shadowed face of a half-naked woman on the cover of a magazine rolled into his back pocket.

Curious as to why he thought he recognized the witch, he politely asked if he could flip through the glossy pages while he drank. Confused at first as to what Draco was inferring, Tom rushed an affirmative response when he gestured to the twisted papers, tossing the magazine to the bar top before hurrying to the other end of the bar with slight embarrassment. Flipping the bulky book around, Draco curled his lips when the sheen of the cover of the newest edition of _Sports Wizardry_ revealed the porcelain face and pale but freckled body of Ginny Weasley. Underneath the bold title of her name was the quick caption stating, "_Quidditch's Hottest Player."_ The moving image on the front scarcely contained any movement as the close up vision of Ginny was almost lost behind the focused flaming Snitch in her open palm.

Flipping apart the sleek pages, Draco thumbed through the magazine until he caught sight of the large images of Ginny that marked her featured interview. His steely eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as he glanced through the four page spread on the redheaded witch of his desires. The sultry and painfully sinful images reminded Draco of the many days and nights they spent together in his private rooms at Hogwarts, her soft curves teasing his fingers for the real flesh_. If only the walls of that Head Boy's room could talk, _he mused thoughtfully, turning the page back to slowly begin reading the accompanying story to the tantalizing photos.

The magazine was tucked into the folds of his thick cloak when Draco exited the pub several hours later, his hand patting his breast with satisfaction as he stopped short in the alley behind the magical building and cautiously Apparated to Malfoy Manor. His arrival to the abandoned house was met with somewhat joyous response from the few remaining house elves and Draco mumbled a handful of orders about cleaning and preparing food before lumbering up the main stairs to wander to the master suite. The elves had mysteriously known in advance that whenever he returned, he would be considered the Master of the Manor and would be living in such quarters. At first it felt strange for him to be disrobing in his parents' bedroom but the dark black and silver furnishings that had adorned his previous chambers were decorating these rooms and it only took a steaming bath for Draco to walk back into the suite and consider it his own.

Blaise's wedding was still two weeks away but he intended to begin preparing for the festivities the next day. Ginny was sure to be there as Luna's maid of honor and Draco was beyond eager to see the witch and more than ready to sweep her off her feet once more. He had already checked and had been disappointed to learn that she would be out of the country with the Holyhead Harpies until only days before the ceremony but Draco considered that only a small derailment in his plans. When the time came and they finally saw each other after too many years apart, he knew nothing else would matter but getting Ginny in his arms, once and for all.

If he thought the days had been long when he was anxiously looking for an excuse to leave France, Draco knew the hours spanning between him and Blaise's wedding would be tortuously slow. His return to the Manor kept the house elves in a flurry, as if they had the duty to rearrange and redecorate every room and space in the entire estate to his likings, and he evenly told them every day that the refurnishings would wait until a later date. He was then kept busy with making sure that the sneaky creatures did not disobey him and start refurbishing the whole lot under his nose. When he was not meandering through the many hallways of the Manor, pausing to talk to his ancestor's portraits or admire an astonishing view from a floor to ceiling panel of glass, Draco remained in the library next to the roaring fire with many books spread around him. Knowledge was something one could never have enough of and he knew this all too well as his brain craved entertainment and sensical musings. The many tomes on wizarding laws were atop the pile, along with the wizarding genealogy records, both large volumes covering many other topics that had amused his interest. Hours were spent pouring over the scrawlings and the days vanished until he glanced up the night before and distractedly remembered the big event was only a sunrise away.

At last the day finally arrived and he was jumping out of bed with the rising sun as overwhelming excitement frazzled his normally calm nerves. Blaise's wedding began many hours later in the late afternoon but that did not stop Draco from dressing in his fancy black trousers and a crisp white, button down shirt as if he were preparing to leave for the ceremony soon. Fredrique was not surprised to see the Master stride into the kitchens much earlier than usual nor was he shocked when Draco energetically bounced on the balls of his feet as he hesitated in choosing a quick breakfast before running out the door to burn off some of his anxiety.

Luna had told Ginny that Blaise had invited her long lost lover but since she had been out of contact while overseas with the Harpies, the bride had neglected to mention to her fiery best friend that Draco had responded with a confirming reply, no extra guest needed. Still, as the minutes ticked by the fair haired witch dreamily waited for her father to come get them for the bridal march and Ginny openly fretted over Luna's billowy gown, sparkling tiara, and misplaced veil to hide her nerves at the possibility of seeing the platinum wizard again.

"Don't worry, Ginny," the blonde witch airily remarked. "Stress can attract Gnargles and Draco might not want to come near you if they're swarming you."

"He's coming? He'll be here?" The redhead asked, visibly distressed as she worried further under the rapid beating of her anxious heart.

"I suppose so," Luna half responded. "Blaise never mentioned it when he got the RSVP."

"Don't tease me Luna! Is he going to be here or not?" Ginny demanded nervously.

"The Gnargles - I think I see them," her best friend modestly joked, her serene face the picture of innocence as she pretended to swat at the invisible creatures.

"Fine," Ginny hmphed, crossing her freckled arms over the satin bust of her rich chocolate dress as an agitated frown twisted her pink lips. "Don't tell me." She turned abruptly, stalking to the opposite side of the wide circular room, flaming curls flowing behind her with the swift rotation.

"Don't forget to tie the bow around your waist!" Luna called as she flung open the wooden door and rushed through the exit, the garish yellow ribbon wrapped around her wrist so purposefully could not forget to adorn the fabric that so horribly clashed with her ensemble.

As she sped down the wide hallway of the Zabini Manor, Ginny nearly plowed over Mr. Lovegood as she rounded a sharp corner that would take her outside to the back gardens. Dressed in bright yellow robes that matched her silky sash exactly, Xenophilius braced her upper arms and stilled them both as he excitedly smiled at his daughter's best friend.

"I was just coming you to get you girls! The ceremony is about to start!" He announced, utter joy at Luna's marriage seeming contagious as she pushed up the corners of her mouth and smiled genuinely.

"She's still back in the study making final adjustments," Ginny stated, one foot stepping backwards as she scooted away from Xenophilius. "I'll meet you at the entrance to the ballroom - I need to get some air first."

"Certainly, my dear!" He automatically responded. "Weddings make everyone a little. . . romantic, shall we say." With an odd twirling of his flaxen locks, the father of the bride easily trotted down the hallway to retrieve his daughter for the ceremony. Ginny sighed heavily, a dainty hand lightly running over her brow as she turned to continue her path outside.

The shade of a large oak tree proved chillier than she anticipated but Ginny hugged her arms around her lean torso to hold warmth as she thickly inhaled the fresh air. Where was all of her spunky courage and Gryffindor bravery now when she needed the self-assurance that even if Draco did show up, everything would be alright? She tried but Ginny could barely muster the strength to walk back inside when several minutes passed and she knew the bride would be waiting for her. The wretched yellow sash looped around her muscled waist and knotted in a large bow against her back, she forcefully smiled when she stopped in front of the Lovegood pair and Luna handed her a small bouquet of white lilies.

Before she could think twice to dart off and skip her walk down the aisle, the grand double doors opened simultaneously and a uniformed usher grinned widely as the processional music began and a collective swoosh echoed as the many guests stood up to watch their entrance. Luna softly encouraged her forward and without thinking Ginny took the first step into the lavishly decorated ballroom. Hundreds of eyes were on her as she slowly proceeded down the carpeted walkway between the two sections of guests and she politely smiled and nodded to the various faces she recognized in the crowds, brown eyes hastily scanning the people to find a familiar head of blonde hair. As the aisle grew shorter and she heard the unanimous gasp at Luna's entrance into the room, Ginny disappointingly frowned and moved to the appropriate, designated spot at the front of the assembled space, slight discouragement evident when she had not seen Draco's obvious head within the people.

And then - the small sea of Weasley heads huddled together near the front parted and she saw him. He was sitting on the very end of a row near the middle, his piercing silver gaze trained to her face, a sly smirk in place, as everyone else was watching the bride's walk. Ginny felt the air halt in her lungs, her chocolate eyes bulging momentarily until she remembered to breathe and trained her neck to stare at her radiant best friend, vision wandering to the blip of a white head through her peripheral. She was thankful that Luna and Xenophilius blocked her view of him when they paused in front of the alter, Blaise swiftly moving in to take her arm as the emotional father stepped backwards with tears in his rounded eyes. The young couple grinned stupidly, their fingers intertwining and clasping tightly as the room quieted and the booming voice of the wizard officiating the ceremony began speaking.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joyous union of two brightly magical souls. Blaise and Luna care about each and every one of you and are willing to share their harmonious day with you. In lieu of traditional vows, the couple has chosen to speak their own words."

Luna stared at Blaise as if he were her shining star lighting her path and Ginny felt somewhat nauseated at the blatant happiness. A loud cough from the audience disturbed her even tuning out of the romantic, personal vows as she casually twisted her neck to glance over the guests. Mocha met mercury when she attempted to nonchalantly catch Draco's gaze and Ginny felt the strength give out in her knees as he held her stare without blinking, his silver orbs silently conveying the emotions he still felt for the flame haired witch.

Minutes must have elapsed while they stared at each other because suddenly a polite cough echoed just behind her, jolting her attention as Ginny realized the entire room was staring at her in anticipation.

"The ring," Luna whispered softly. "Ginny - I need the ring."

Flush crawling up her cheeks and giving away her embarrassment, she hastily slipped the too large ring off her thumb and slid it into Luna's outstretched palm. "Sorry," she mouthed but the bride only smiled dreamily and turned back to the handsome dark skinned wizard who was adoringly watching her.

Attention back to the happy couple, Ginny looked down nervously before quickly glancing to the far side of the ballroom. All of her anxiety evaporated when she saw the empty seat at the end of the row where Draco had been sitting. Crestfallen but feeling stupid for putting her hopes in someone who might not have even been the Malfoy heir in the first place, Ginny returned her sights on the ending ceremony as Blaise roughly pulled Luna against his chest and they kissed passionately. She strode to the middle of the front of the 'stage' and stiffly slid her hand around the proffered arm of Zacharias, Blaise's half-brother and best man, slowly trudging behind the bride and groom as the happy couple exited under a shower of yellow rose petals.

"Come on, Red," the younger wizard whispered against her ear, the nickname sending a chill up her spine since the last person to call her that had been Draco, and the reference could not be as random as Ginny hoped it to be. "I have a stash of bottles upstairs. They're not serving liquor - we need to have a few drinks first."

Tight smile still in place, Ginny calmly eased her arm past his grasp once they were in the main hallway with guests rapidly following and began walking in the opposite direction of the masses, hoping to slip into the room readied for the reception to snag a bottle of champagne and slip outside. "You go. I'll meet you upstairs in a few minutes. Just gotta use the loo."

Zacharias grinned wolfishly, his clear blue eyes resembling Blaise's so much as he tore a glance up and down her curvy, muscular body. Ginny cocked an auburn eyebrow at his brazen stares, realizing that he intended to get her drunk enough to fuck him at some point during the evening. That was no where near to what would actually happen and she was growing agitated that he had not left yet when randomly, Zacharias peered behind her, his eyes growing wide as they darted between Ginny and the shadows beyond her. A fearful frown yanked down his thick lips and the dark haired boy hurriedly twisted to steadily walk down the hallway into the increasing crowd of guests.

Shrugging her shoulders and blinking once, Ginny turned to see what had scared her admirer off. But only shadows meet her chocolate gaze, a dismissive shake of her head ignoring what could have sent Zacharias running off before she continued the short distance to the separate double doors that led into the reception. A handful of waiters looked up when she entered the room, panic flooding their eyes as they recognized the witch in charge of all of the preparations. Lips tucked into a tight smile, Ginny sped to the long bar set up along the side wall and deftly reached over the counter to grab the handle of an ice cold bottle of golden champagne.

"But ma'am -" the young bartender protested, his hesitant steps bringing him closer to Ginny as she dropped back to the far side of the bar, water dripping off the bottle as she held it against her side. Both eyebrows raised at his interruption of her theft and the wizard's mouth opened and closed several times before he stumbled on a string of words. "I'll just - I'll, I'll go get another bottle."

"Good boy," Ginny falsely praised him and a fake grin twisted her facial features as he spun around to hurry away. Stowing the icy bottle under her arm, she glanced over the room in its entirety to nod in satisfaction, moving back to the slightly ajar door and closing it behind her as she entered the hallway once more. Stepping out into the middle of the corridor, Ginny fought the feeling that she was being watched, rapidly gazing down the hallway behind her to find the majority of the guests loudly conversing in the main foyer. Pushing the heightened notions away, she pressed her arm more firmly to her torso to steady the champagne bottle as she hurried her steps until the almost hidden doorway to the side of the back gardens popped up and she rushed to turn the doorknob and slip past the entryway to the outdoor space.

Shoulders sagging and a large exhale leaving her almost weary, Ginny ambled to the far side of the gardens where a private sitting area was tucked away behind an ostentatious hedge of roses. The glass bottle crunched against the gritty stone seat, set down so she could slide her wand from its stiff position beneath the tight dress and her left ribs to cast a warming charm on the small space. A rippling heat rolled over her bare arms and Ginny shivered in response, goose bumps blanketing her naked flesh as the growing cold was vanished from the magical bubble. The stone bench was still chilled but she worked to ignore the biting sensation on her ass, pressing her knees around the large bottle as her nimble fingers wasted no time in peeling off the wrapping covering the cork. One hand gripped the neck of the bottle as the other fisted around the cork, pulling and twisting until the pressure inside the bottle propelled the stopper out of the mouth and across the garden to roll against the stone wall.

Before fizzy bubbles could even begin to rise up through the funneled glass neck, Ginny brought the small opening to her mouth and tipped her head back as she guzzled the champagne very unladylike. The light alcoholic drink slid down her throat easily, her chocolate eyes squeezing shut when lone tears formed at the corners and threatened to spill over her lashes at the scant thought that she had gotten all worked up about this wedding, about seeing Draco again, for no reason at all. It had been two, very long years since she had last seen him - why on earth would be come back now? Surely by now he was married to a beautiful French woman whom his parents both loved. He had to have moved on by now, hadn't he?

The champagne bottle was almost half empty when Ginny startled, an errant snapping of twigs signaling someone's presence. It was impossible to see through the thick hedge of roses so whenever the person rounded the corner to stand in front of the mouth of private setting would be when Ginny saw her intruder. Several minutes passed and the only noises she heard were from chirping birds. Turning back to face the middle of the sitting area, she had the bottle held at her lips, ready to begin chugging again, when she caught movement in her peripheral vision.

"I spent many summers here as a child," he smoothly drawled, gliding across the distance as a foreboding chill shivered her spine. "I would be able to find you in any hidden space on this property."

At first glance, Ginny thought she was imagining him - Draco was too perfect, his shaggy blonde hair gracing the tops of his shoulders just so and his toned body erectly straight as he came closer, his grey eyes trained on her like a predator stalking its prey. But he was very much real; she could even smell his manly cologne and personal scent the instant he came within a short enough distance. Draco stopped short of the stone bench, his large feet spread evenly as he greedily drank her in, silvery head tilting to the side as he impromptly asked the most obvious question in his mind but an unusual, although expected, query for Ginny.

"Where's Potter?"

The two words hung in the air and Ginny jerked her chin forward to bring her mocha gaze up to meet the mercury eyes that had haunted her dreams and waking hours since the last time she had seen them.

"Probably off with his new wife, I suppose," she blandly replied, all of her strength willing her eyes to hold his gaze as Draco continued to unblinkingly meet her steady stare.

"Hmm," he noncommittally responded before Ginny rather bluntly blurted out, "What are you doing here?"

The rare, genuine smile that had always, and forever would, tugged at her heartstrings crept the corners of his plump lips up as Draco lightly chuckled at her honest question.

"The same reason you are, Gin - to see true love and hope that magic will rub off on me," he candidly answered.

Nervous gaze dropping to stare at the tops of his shiny leather shoes, taking in his taut physique as they traveled down his trim body, Ginny set the champagne bottle aside as her fingers twisted together in her lap. "Did you come just to see me?" She asked without looking up, all courage gone as she faced the one wizard who could stumble her words and falter her heartbeat.

"Don't be so pretentious, love," Draco mildly joked, his platinum head dipping so he could peer around the cascading waves of flaming curls to see her bowed face. "Of course I did," he corrected himself, "I would do anything to see you."

"Where have you been for the past two years then?" Ginny quickly responded, heated gaze turning up to scornfully meet his slightly widened stare. "Hiding out in France with mummy and daddy?"

"I - I -" Draco stuttered. "I thought you wanted to be with Potter. I thought you wanted space," he reached, his words stretched thin as his voice pitched, hoping to further convey the honesty behind his excuse. "After the Final Battle, you just - I didn't think you deserved me when better men were clamoring for your attention. I didn't want to see you unhappy," he lamely finished, silver gaze imploring her to believe that leaving Hogwarts that day without her had been one of the hardest things he had done so far in his short life.

"I wanted _you,"_ Ginny bit out, her tone intensifying as her chin quivered, belying the angry mask she was attempting to portray. "I've always, only, wanted you."

"I'm sorry, Gin," Draco hurriedly apologized, his long legs eating up the short distance until he was kneeling before her, his large hands grabbing her woven fingers and pulling them to his chest, shocking chemistry sparking at the touch. "I didn't know! I thought you didn't want me anymore."

"I needed you and you left me," Ginny brokenly moaned, tears springing to her chocolate eyes as her encompassing sadness laced her words. "You left me, Draco - for France."

"Oh, love," he groaned, guilt enshrouding his thumping heart and constricted chest as he shifted to sit next to her on the stone bench, one arm wrapping around her shoulders and the other pulling her hands into his lap as Draco crushed Ginny sideways against his torso, his blonde head turning so he could gently place a loving kiss to her creased brow. "I'll never leave you again. Never. I promise."

"Never say never," Ginny mumbled against his shoulder, a slight, silly grin turning up the corners of her lips as Draco enveloped her tightly.

"I swear on my life that I'll never leave you, Ginny," Draco truthfully promised, his silver gaze meeting her hopeful eyes as she pressed her chin into his left breast and looked up. "You're mine and I'm never letting you go."

Her grin expanded into a full blown smile as Ginny wrapped her arms around his torso and inched her face closer to his bent head.

"Never?" She playfully chided.

"Never ever," Draco whispered and his mouth closed the distance as he pressed his lips to hers soundly, sealing his promise with a kiss as Ginny sighed in content and let her brown eyes fall shut. She did not think that when she finally saw Draco again she would have so easily forgiven his past mistakes, that she would have so hastily let him back into her life with little more than a hurried apology. But if the Final Battle, and the many lives lost there, had taught her anything, it was that life is too short to wait around for the big event to come to you. Just like Harry had to walk into the forest to let Voldemort kill him so he could come back and destroy the remainder of the villain's soul, Ginny had to accept Draco's sudden reappearance as her second chance at what she had missed out on the first time around. She had to take the opportunities given to her and make the most of the consequences of her actions.

"Come on, love," Draco roughly mumbled against her lips when they parted for a breathing second. "We should go back inside before every one wonders where the maid of honor went off to and I decide that I want more than just your lips for now."

Smirking happily, Ginny parted her jaw to nip lightly at the sensitive skin of the column of his neck, her fingers weaving through the thick locks at the base of his skull to keep his head close to hers. "It doesn't matter," she throatily whispered next to his ear. "You have all of me for the rest of your life."

The groan coming up his throat became a moan as Ginny bit down on the soft flesh of his earlobe, her lips trailing down his firm jawline in a tempting manner that sent a majority of his blood rushing below his waist. Draco attempted to keep his fluttering eyelids open and only succeeded when his wide palms gently gripped Ginny's shoulders to pull her away from his neck.

"Don't tease me, witch," he admonished, falsely serious. "Now come - I want to have a dance with my future wife in front of all of the on looking guests as they jealously bask in our perfection."

Unwrapping his arms and standing fluidly, Draco offered Ginny an open palm as she followed his movement and gracefully stood within a hair's breadth from his tall frame.

"Shall we?" He asked playfully, his bent elbow proffered for her assistance as Ginny slid a pale, freckled hand to rest on the crook of his arm, the question weighty as he implied and she presumed the question to encompass the unspoken agreement that they would be together.

"We shall," Ginny responded, flaming head resting against the outline of his shoulder as Draco nodded once in contention and turned their direction to begin leading them back to the Manor.

The reception was well underway when they finally walked through the double doors and although Blaise and Luna were in the middle of their first dance, a large proportion of the guest's attention was diverted to Draco and Ginny as they quietly entered the room hand in hand. The young pair paid no mind to the prying eyes as they strode through the sitting guests to approach the dance floor and become the first couple to join the newlyweds. Draco grinned as his hands tightly wove around Ginny's waist and she held herself within the circle of his arms, not caring who saw them as the gaping hole in her chest seemed to have mended itself the moment she saw her blonde haired wizard again.

"See," Luna prodded Blaise knowingly, her dreamy gaze floating to the loving couple as she smiled easily for her best friend. "I told you that if we invited him, everything would fall back into place. Now they're happy and they only have us to thank."

"Why do you think I married you?" Blaise replied cheekily, his sharp eyes glancing to the Malfoy wizard as Draco leaned down to whisper something to Ginny and she languidly tossed her head back to laugh, their romance quickly budding as the newlyweds watched another love spring to life from the remains of Voldemort's hideous reign of terror.

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**A/N:**

**Thank you for reading! Only one more chapter to go! **

**Review and let me know what you think! Any feedback is good feedback for me. **

**And yes, it was Draco that Zacharias saw in the shadows of the hallway before he scurried off and away from Ginny.**


	5. Part V

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, or ideas relating to or pertaining to the world of Harry Potter and JK Rowling. I graciously thank JK for her life-changing works and our ability as faithful readers to use her creations as our own for pure fanfic pleasure. Because honestly, if I did own the rights to Draco and Ginny, obviously they would end up together forever and always. **

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><p>It had only been six months since Draco had returned but Ginny felt as if it had been just yesterday that he had waltzed back into her life. After Blaise and Luna's wedding the couple decided to take things slow, despite their electric chemistry and their inability to keep their hands off each other whenever they were in the same room, they agreed that rushing into a physical relationship could blind them to what was really needed to build their relationship. But because of the remaining Quidditch season, Ginny was forced to travel and at first they had not spent much time together before she was demanded elsewhere. Draco was aching for some sort of sexual contact but kept it in his pants for the sole reason that every morning that they awoke next to each other, Ginny stared at him like a child on Christmas morning, lightly touching his face to make sure he was real. He too wondered at his timely luck in capturing her heart, the flame haired beauty always catching his breath when he saw her, even in sleep when she was most serene.<p>

After the first span of days spent apart, Draco thought he was going mad - he had just gotten her back and although she maintained their relationship while abroad, Ginny was still gone from his arms and away from his reach. When she returned from a seemingly endless match with their rival, an all-female German team, he decided they would never be apart for so long again. Draco proposed before orchestrating a romantic meal on the back terrace overlooking Ginny's favorite portion of the Manor, the house elves lighting up the maze-like garden with fairy lights to guide her through the hedges until she reached him at the end, waiting patiently for her with a small velvet box behind his back. Thinking it was part of some game, Ginny ran into the secluded space before slowing with excited surprise as Draco bent down on one knee.

She strolled forward to pause in front of him, frowning with unsatisfaction at how this little charade was ending when Draco grinned emphatically and bent forward more to swiftly tie the thin strings of his leather shoe.

"Look who finally made it," he jested easily, his arms folding across his bent thigh as he leaned onto his elbows.

"What's this all about, Draco? I'm tired, I need to sleep," Ginny complained halfheartedly.

Reaching into his coat pocket, he produced the small square box and tossed his between his hands, her chocolate eyes suddenly wide as they followed the object. "Well. . . I was planning on asking you to marry me," he started, spacing out the words as if she had a problem understanding him. His leg pressed forward and he shifted his weight to stand up, drawing to his full height as the velvet cube was trapped beneath his closed fist. "But there's really no point in asking." Draco smirked lovingly when Ginny's dark eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "I already know you'll say yes," he clarified. "I wanted to be conventional and give you the fairytale proposal and wedding and such but - we are not like normal witches and wizards, and I am perfectly happy with that. Because, Ginny, you give me reason to get out of bed every morning. You drive me absolutely crazy sometimes but you also push me to be the man that you deserve. I can't see my life progressing any further without you in it, Ginny, and I would be honored if you would be my wife."

Tears had leaked off the edges of her almond shaped eyes, the salty drops falling past her flushed cheeks as she grinned radiantly, nodding her fiery head several times as she held Draco's silver stare.

"Yes! Yes!" She replied, over joyous as she pushed forward to press against his chest and swiftly assault his lips with her own as an arm snaked around his neck to pull him closer to her grasping mouth. "Yes - forever and always, yes!" Ginny whispered against his parted lips as Draco returned the wide smile and captured her mouth once more.

True to his promise, Draco began traveling with the Harpies to matches, loudly cheering in the stands for his flaming Chaser as she flew up and down the pitch, game after game. It was barely two months later when the season ended the couple was able to return to England full-time as preparations for their hasty wedding commenced. Neither Draco nor Ginny wanted to make their engagement longer than it needed to be and they agreed on a date with only four months to plan. At first the Weasley clan had not been pleasant about the idea of their only daughter and sister marrying their once rival but Ginny left no room for argument and threatened not to invite the whole lot to the wedding. Molly and Fleur were the first to come around, the women begging to help her with the many arrangements and necessary issues while the rest of the family slowly came around as weeks dragged on and Ginny was still not speaking to them. George and Angelina threw them an engagement party to settle their differences and she was immensely happy when every red headed face she knew and loved was in attendance as Draco toasted to his beautiful fiancé.

Now, here they were - six months after being reunited and only hours away from their wedding. Ginny had not seen Draco since the night before when Luna had barged into their private chambers as they sat cuddled by the fireplace and dragged her out of the bedroom, saying that it was bad luck for the bride and groom to spend their last night before the ceremony together. There was no stopping the blonde haired witch as she pulled Ginny away, Draco jumping to his feet to protest before his soon-to-be wife rushed back in and left him with his a dizzying kiss to hold him over until the next day. Luna had planned an elaborate slumber party for the bridal party and the bridesmaids eagerly waited for Ginny, ready to stay up all night and gossip about their husbands and social happenings as the bride easily slipped into the lavatory for a steaming bath, her sisters-in-law huddled around a small table of finger foods and alcoholic beverages.

The sun rose and brought the dawning of the day Ginny had been anticipating since she was a little girl, sandwiched between all of her brothers as they rambled on about women and love. There was nothing for Ginny to be nervous about - she was more anxious to see Draco than she was to greet and entertain their many guests during and after the ceremony, and Hermione was relieved to see that she would not have to put out any metaphorical fires concerning her friend's notorious temper. The spacious lounge that had been converted into a dressing room for the women was aflutter with panicked witches as they dressed for the wedding, each giggling and slowly dressing for the ceremony as Ginny patiently stared out the glass window to watch the remaining preparations in the garden that were being completed by Molly and an exuberant Narcissa.

As the fashionably attired guests began to arrive, the butterflies swirled in her stomach and for a moment's hesitation, Ginny wondered if she was doing the right thing, only for those thoughts to be dispelled as a platinum head of hair ambled around the overlooking patio, glancing about as he wordlessly examined the layout for the ceremony. Draco made sure to keep his gaze away from the large picture window just behind him that saw into the bridal room, grinning widely as he felt Ginny's ever-present stare on his back as he waved at longtime friends and the slight acquaintances that were filling in the hundreds of seats in the Manor's backyard. He only had one groomsman to Ginny's five bridesmaids but Draco was more than comfortable with having only Blaise standing behind him rather than allowing the Weasley brothers to mockingly stand up on his behalf. When a majority of the seats were filled and he looked down to make sure the time was coming up to the designated hour, Draco followed Blaise down the winding stairs to stride to the front of the appropriate area to stand tall at the end of the cream aisle, knowing grin in place as he waited for the orchestra to begin their melody that would ultimately end with Ginny standing next to him.

Penelope, Angelina, Fleur, and Hermione grazed down the aisle slowly in their matching golden gowns, each holding a small bouquet of colored roses as they proceeded to the front, Luna just behind the witches with a radiant smile that beamed happily for all to see as they prepared to rise for the bridal march.

"Now are you absolutely sure about this, Ginnybean?" Arthur Weasley asked softly, a hand covering his daughter's freckled fingers as he questioned again if she wanted to marry the Malfoy heir. "Because its still not too late for you to change your mind."

"Yes, daddy," Ginny tightly responded, agitation biting at her words as she wondered exactly how many times it had been that one of her trusting family members asked her if she really wanted to bind herself to Draco for all eternity. "I am one hundred and fifty percent sure. He makes me happy," she reassured Arthur with a growing glimmer in her brown eyes.

Pressing his thin lips together, a genuine smile pulling up the cracked corners, he squeezed a hand over Ginny's fingers wrapped around his elbow and nodded agreeably. "That's all I want to know," Arthur responded and took the next step forward to stand at the beginning of the creamy aisle, Ginny pausing before turning to face the long carpet and the future that awaited her at the end of a slow walk.

All she saw at the front of the assembled guests was Draco openly gaping, his mercury eyes focused on his curvy bride as Ginny nearly tugged her father behind her to get to the waiting groom and ceremony official.

"Who gives this witch away to be married to this wizard?" The booming voice of Kingsley Shacklebot questioned predictably.

"Her mother and I," Arthur replied, red head shaking once in confirmation as Draco stepped forward to take Ginny's hand.

A slight murmur went through the crowd when Arthur stepped back, sitting down with his arm around a crying Molly to watch as the young couple wrapped an arm around each other and faced Kingsley with over joyous anticipation. Time seemed to slow and speed up in the same instant, the ceremonial vows sealing their nuptials before a passionate kiss finished their words and an uproarious applause deafened their already distant hearing, Draco and Ginny only recognizing each other as their guests laughed and cheered at their prolonged smooch.

The moon rose to replace the burning sun in the darkening evening sky while fireflies randomly dotted the shadowed lawn and crickets chirped, a calming peace overwhelming Malfoy Manor as the wedding reception lasted for several hours and the many guests maintained a high level of happiness for the newly married couple. Ginny had been ecstatic to share their special moment with all of their friends and family, whereas Draco had nagged her to just elope at the Ministry instead of waiting even longer. Now that he had been stuck sitting at the head table for a boring stretch of seventy five minutes, listening to his new wife prattle on with guest after guest and watching his inebriated acquaintances dance off beat and rather terribly, Draco wanted nothing more than to have already finished mingling and socializing and to be upstairs with his curvaceously beautiful witch.

"Love," he blankly called to Ginny, an index finger raising against her back to signal she was almost done conversing with her longtime coach from the Harpies. Her rosy cheeks were flushed with adoration, mocha eyes luminescent as she gazed at him once she turned in her seat to face him. "Shouldn't this all be wrapping up soon?" Draco discretely motioned to the full room of people, the stage with the live band off to the right overpowering the deeply serious tone of his voice.

"Oh come off it," Ginny bantered, her breasts dipping close to his thumping chest as her shoulders leaned forward for her mouth to lightly graze his pouting lips, their noses rubbing together affectionately. "One more dance and we'll disappear upstairs."

"It's not going to be a long one," Draco begrudgingly conceded, his long legs pushing his chair back to stand before he offered an open palm to his bride.

Ginny caught the eye of the lead singer of the band as they paraded to the dance floor and he tapped the microphone twice, focusing the room's attention before he stated, "Alright folks, this es goin' ta be tha last song oh tha nigh'. Grab someone ya luve, and get ou' ther'."

A slow, capturing beat echoed through the ballroom the instant Draco led Ginny onto the dance floor, fellow guests parting as the couple folded into each other and began a gentle floating over the polished surface. The lights dimmed and everyone seemed to be hit with a wave of exhaustion as one by one other witches and wizards paired up to dance the last song to its end.

"I could stay like this forever," Ginny murmured against the hollow of Draco's neck, his toned arms tightening around her waist as they swayed in place.

He hummed contently, the reverberations bringing a goofy grin to her face as Ginny tucked her flaming head under his chin. "Well you're in luck - because you're mine now. And I'm never letting you go."

Slipping her small hands underneath the lapels of his black dress robe, she nodded in eager compliance. "I think it's time we ditched these guests. They've overstayed their welcome at this point," Ginny whispered along the seam of his jaw, the words drifting to his ear with a relieved smirk pulling apart the fullness of his lips to reveal the white ridges of his perfectly straight teeth.

"I thought I would never hear you say that," Draco jibbed, his blonde head pulling back to meet Ginny's lusty stare, the barest tip of her pink tongue darting out to pull the middle of her bottom lip between her teeth, her flaming curls tilted backwards as she waited for his prideful resolve to disappear in 5, 4, 3, 2, ...

Without any verbal indication to their hundreds of guests that they were leaving the reception, Draco Apparated himself and Ginny out of the ballroom to land graciously in the darkened hallway before the master suite. As was wizarding tradition, the newly married couple was spending their first night as man and wife in their own home - a needless rule that had been planned as such since neither Draco or Ginny wanted to leave for their honeymoon the moment their wedding and reception were finished. She went to turn the handle on the door to pull her handsome husband into their bedroom but Draco had spent the majority of his morning before the wedding setting up a surprise for Ginny when they did finally make it to the later, intimate events of the evening.

"No, Gin. C'mere," he stated, reaching to pick up his wife to carry her to their wedding bed once she had turned and was within grabbing distance. Holding her light frame to his muscled chest, Draco grunted unnecessarily as if to insinuate that she was too heavy and Ginny swatted at his shoulder good naturedly, a false, irritated frown puckering her lips as she wrapped both arms around the shaggy, blonde hair at his neck and brought her porcelain face within a millimeter of his own.

"I can still change my mind, mister," Ginny smartly whispered. Draco's molten eyes widened a fraction then narrowed suspiciously as if considering if she really would renounce their recent vows.

"That's your call," Draco gruffly replied, arousal tightening his trousers and dilating his pupils as his thickly muscled arms shortly readjusted around her frame and his toned legs took a step forward, a foot kicking the bottom of the wooden door as it softly fell open. "But I wouldn't - if I were you."

Rotating so he could walk them in sideways through the doorway, Draco watched, excited and amused, as Ginny gaped to sassily respond but the instant they passed over the bedroom's threshold, a sudden breeze blew around her torso and she glanced down, utterly surprised when she saw their naked bodies.

"Just a little spell I've been working on," Draco confided with a devilish wink. "Removes clothing - somewhat useful I would think."

"Have I told you lately how much I love you, Draco Malfoy?" Ginny breathlessly responded, bare breasts and hardened nipples now pressed against the defined muscles of his lean torso.

Twisting his forearm to briefly glance at his bare wrist and an invisible watch, Draco cheekily said, "Not in about two hours, actually."

Matching grins were erased as their lips heatedly locked, years of pent up sexual aggression coming out while their tongues danced and their bodies melted together. Throbbing dick reminding them that they had some loose ends to tie up, Draco grasped Ginny's knees tighter and held her ribs more firmly as he picked up one foot than the other to steadily walk them to the large bed, their faces suctioned together and his silver eyes closed as he blindly moved. Squeezing her toned curves gently, Draco unlatched his mouth to drop Ginny to the silky black bed, her hips automatically scooting backwards so he had to get on his hands and knees to crawl across the mattress to hover over her.

Two pairs of hands roved over two trembling bodies, Draco easing his touch down her stomach to slip between her legs and part her thighs as Ginny raked her nails up the ridges of his back to fist in his long, silvery locks. There was no romantic interlude or slowed foreplay. She pulled his lips to her own in a frenzied kiss as Draco inched forward, the purpled head of his thick cock pressing against her slippery pussy lips and waiting for permission before he thrust his hips slightly, just enough to bury the first fat inch inside her tight entrance.

"Ahhh Draco," Ginny moaned, her back arching and her hips opening wider to accept his hard member as he delicately twirled his ass in a circle to slowly push his dick inside her velvety confines. "Please Draco - please just fuck me already," she groaned, fingernails cutting half-moons into the pale flesh of his back as she attempted to convey her dire need.

Completely stilling his motions, Draco leaned forward until their chests were pressed firmly together, his silver eyes wide to the point that he almost looked deranged as he throatily whispered, "Say it again."

"Oooooohhhh Draco - fuck me, baby. Fuck me until it hurts," Ginny gruffly responded, her hips squirming and her muscles tightening in an effort to attain more of his hard cock inside her.

Her attempts were futile but were soon satisfied when Draco greedily thrust forward, plowing roughly into her wet pussy without abandon, grunting and groaning as Ginny squealed, her short legs locking at the ankle over the small of his back and heels digging into the soft flesh to encourage his pleasurable motions. Strong orgasms building rapidly, their first mind bending climaxes were shortly eclipsed by the continual, mounting lust fueled in their bellies by their consuming love that exploded in a second, star-filled peak.

Still connected in the most intimate way possible, Draco and Ginny were breathlessly devouring each other's mouths in a moment's pause when she used a punch of adrenaline to rock his momentum, capturing the spilt second to flip their positions as her slick lips slid just a tad further down his hard pole. Seductively moaning, Ginny squeezed her muscles to milk his cock, purring in fulfillment as Draco's eyes rolled into the back of his head and his hips jerked underneath her weighty movements. Taking her opportunity to be in control, Ginny folded her legs against his waist and pressed her knees into the mattress as her hips slowly started their ascent off of his dick before teasingly descending back down. A devouring rush of power trickled across her tightened shoulder blades as Ginny began gently bucking, Draco's wide palms wrapping around the tops of her hipbones in an attempt to speed up her actions, both sexes already tingling with the precursor sensations of an impending orgasm.

"Maybe the honeymoon should wait," he mused aloud once they had climaxed for a third time, Ginny lazily pushing off his cock to fall to the side and curl around his larger body as sweat glistened over naked skin and their chests heaved for air. "I don't think I will be able to bare the sight of your sinful curves covered in clothing just yet," he finished, absolutely serious as she twisted her left thigh completely between Draco's legs and shifted her weight to half lay on top of him.

"Well, Mr. Malfoy," Ginny started, tone equally solemn as she met his silver gaze through the thickness of her dark eyelashes. "I guess it's a good thing then that I don't plan on letting you go."

"I would never allow it, Mrs. Malfoy. You are mine forever," Draco resolutely finished, one hand cupping the side of her face as Ginny sealed the agreement with a scorching kiss, a reminder of the magical vows they had already taken to ensure that they indeed would be together for the rest of their lives.

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**A/N:**

**The End! **

**Thank you for reading! Pretty please, would you review? I would appreciate some comments on the progress and ending of this story. **

**Thank you :) **


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